Travellers who've forgotten to use ArriveCan app can now give details at the border
Ottawa -
Travellers who can't access the government's ArriveCan app, or simply forget to fill it out, may start to receive some clemency at the border after Canada's public safety minister gave new instructions to border officials to allow people to provide their travel details in person.
Checking in on the app has become a mandatory part of crossing into Canada, regardless of how long the traveller has been out of the country.
It collects information about where the traveller has been, the purpose of their trip, their contact information, vaccination information, pre-travel COVID-19 test results, and their quarantine plan once they are in Canada.
Foreign nationals who fail to give their information have until now been barred from boarding planes into the country. Canadians, permanent residents and others with right of entry have so far been subject to two weeks of quarantine if they fail to offer their information to the app.
Members of Parliament have received hundreds of complaints about the policy, over inaccessibility and unreliability Conservative public safety critic Raquel Dancho said Monday during question period in the House of Commons.
"The ArriveCan app has crashed for some users. Many can't access it from poor cell service. Many seniors don't have smartphones. For others costly data plans are out of reach for them," she said.
Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino told the House the government will never hesitate to put measures in place to protect Canadians at the border, particularly in light of the emergence of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.
"With regards to ArriveCan, I want to assure my colleagues that I've spoken with the (Canada Border Services Agency) so that there's additional guidance to provide the opportunity for travellers to provide the information that is necessary on ArriveCan in person at the borders," he said.
The government created several new border restrictions in response to the spread of the Omicron variant, including closing borders to foreign nationals who spent time in 10 African countries, and instituted new testing and quarantine requirements for all incoming travellers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2021.
COVID-19 COVERAGE
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Wildfire battles continue under heat, air quality alerts over most of Canada
The battle against hundreds of wildfires continues, as almost every jurisdiction in Canada remains under either heat or air quality warnings from the federal government. The day after what was supposed to be national Clean Air Day, dozens of alerts remain in place for unseasonable heat or smoky air quality.
Can face masks help protect you from wildfire smoke? Health expert explains
An official recommendation to wear a mask to protect yourself from wildfire smoke is being echoed by health experts as plumes of smoke make their way across parts of Canada, causing poor air quality.
Supporters focus on freeing Canadian held in China amid geopolitical 'ups and downs'
A leader of the fight to secure freedom for a Canadian human-rights activist detained in China for 17 years is taking the latest diplomatic deep-freeze between Ottawa and Beijing in stride.
Documents reveal what happened inside the discord at Canada's drug-price regulator
Internal emails from the agency tasked with regulating the price of patented drugs in Canada shows discord and division was sparked by a letter from the health minister, culminating in an indefinite pause on major drug-price reforms and several resignations.
Experts worry about Canadian water bomber expertise with rising demand, aging fleets
Aviation experts say Canada is losing expertise in the manufacturing of water bombers -- just as demand for them is increasing. The Canadair CL-415, a purpose-built water bomber, was last produced in 2015.
Calgary mass killer Matthew de Grood seeks 'absolute discharge'
The man who was found not criminally responsible in the stabbing deaths of five people at a house party in Brentwood more than nine years ago is seeking more freedoms.
RBC Canadian Open teeing off amid controversy in golf world
Some of the world's top players are teeing off at the RBC Canadian Open today amid the hotly debated LIV Golf-PGA Tour controversy that shook the golf world this week.
5 things to know for Thursday, June 8, 2023
Heat or air quality warnings countrywide, new Nanos polling shows most Canadians support an inquiry into foreign interference, and the Bank of Canada hikes rates again.
UNICEF says 300 trapped children rescued from a Sudanese orphanage after 71 others died
About 300 infants, toddlers and older children have been rescued from an orphanage in Sudan's capital after being trapped there while fighting raged outside, aid officials said Thursday. The evacuation came after 71 children died from hunger and illness in the facility since mid-April.
Canada
-
Wildfire battles continue under heat, air quality alerts over most of Canada
The battle against hundreds of wildfires continues, as almost every jurisdiction in Canada remains under either heat or air quality warnings from the federal government. The day after what was supposed to be national Clean Air Day, dozens of alerts remain in place for unseasonable heat or smoky air quality.
-
'Canada dry': Climatologist Dave Phillips foresees hot, dry summer countrywide
The hot, dry conditions that are fuelling wildfires countrywide are just the beginning of what summer could look like in Canada this year, according to Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips.
-
Hundreds of American firefighters arrive in Canada to help battle wildfires
Hundreds of American firefighters have recently arrived in Canada to help battle wildfires and more are on the way, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
-
B.C. First Nation buys back 140-year-old robe, paying almost $40K to bring it home
A man who helped return a 140-year-old Tlingit robe to the British Columbia First Nation where it was created says it's as if the regalia called out to its people and they are bringing it home.
-
Ontario man charged with first-degree murder in killing of Claudia Iacono outside Montreal salon
An Ontario man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Claudia Iacono, the daughter-in-law of Mafia associate Moreno Gallo, after she was gunned down at the wheel of her car in Montreal last month.
-
Calgary mass killer Matthew de Grood seeks 'absolute discharge'
The man who was found not criminally responsible in the stabbing deaths of five people at a house party in Brentwood more than nine years ago is seeking more freedoms.
World
-
Haitian inmates are dying of thirst and starvation in severely overcrowded jails
Haitian inmates are thirsty, starving and sleeping standing up because they don't have enough room to lie down. The United Nations says 185 inmates died in Haiti last year -- many of malnutrition-related diseases. This year, more than 20 have died so far.
-
Japan's denial of same-sex marriage, other LGTBQ2S+ protections looks unconstitutional, judge rules
A Japanese court ruled Thursday that the lack of legal protections for LGTBQ2S+ people appeared to be unconstitutional, in the latest ruling that may help push the country toward allowing same-sex marriage.
-
South Korean inquiry to look into 237 more foreign adoptions suspected to have laundered origins
South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission said Thursday it will investigate 237 more cases of South Korean adoptees who suspect their family origins were manipulated to facilitate their adoptions in Europe and the United States.
-
Senegal's president calls for an investigation into deadly clashes, open to dialogue
Senegal's president has ordered an investigation to determine who was responsible for protests by supporters of a political opponent that turned deadly last week but said he was open to consulting with the parties involved.
-
UNICEF says 300 trapped children rescued from a Sudanese orphanage after 71 others died
About 300 infants, toddlers and older children have been rescued from an orphanage in Sudan's capital after being trapped there while fighting raged outside, aid officials said Thursday. The evacuation came after 71 children died from hunger and illness in the facility since mid-April.
-
Knife attacker injures several people, including children, in French Alpine town
An attacker with a knife stabbed several young children and at least one adult, leaving some with life-threatening injuries, in a bucolic lakeside park in a town in the French Alps on Thursday before he was arrested, authorities said.
Politics
-
Supporters focus on freeing Canadian held in China amid geopolitical 'ups and downs'
A leader of the fight to secure freedom for a Canadian human-rights activist detained in China for 17 years is taking the latest diplomatic deep-freeze between Ottawa and Beijing in stride.
-
Canadians more likely to support foreign interference inquiry than hearings: Nanos
Canadians are twice as likely to support a formal inquiry into foreign interference, as opposed to public hearings, according to new polling from Nanos Research for CTV News.
-
Canada marks Clean Air Day with worst air quality in the world, as feds consider disaster response agency
Hazy skies tinged with an eery yellow glow greeted millions of Canadians in Quebec and Ontario again Wednesday as the smoke from hundreds of wildfires continued to cause air quality warnings in Canada's most populated corridor. In a bizarre twist of fate, on a day when air quality was among the worst the country has ever seen, it was national Clean Air Day in Canada.
Health
-
'Very, very hard to breathe': Experts call wildfires a 'major public health concern' for Canada
As forest fires rage across the country, experts are sounding the alarm over the physical and psychological impacts of the wildfires and saying that they pose a serious public health issue, which individuals and governments need to acknowledge and act upon.
-
Documents reveal what happened inside the discord at Canada's drug-price regulator
Internal emails from the agency tasked with regulating the price of patented drugs in Canada shows discord and division was sparked by a letter from the health minister, culminating in an indefinite pause on major drug-price reforms and several resignations.
-
Sleep, don't scroll: Tips to avoid sleep procrastination
Being a 'sleep procrastinator' might not only make you grumpy the next day, it can put your health at risk. A sleep expert shares tips for making sure bedtime is shut-eye time.
Sci-Tech
-
See early stars form in a galaxy 20 million light-years away
The James Webb Space Telescope set its sights on a galaxy 20 million light-years away, capturing a dazzling star-forming galaxy in images streaked with the signature of passing asteroids.
-
Apple's Vision Pro goggles unleash a mixed reality that could lead to more innovation and isolation
Reporters are a skeptical bunch, so it was unusual to hear so many of them raving about their firsthand experience with Apple's next Big Thing: the high-priced headset called Vision Pro, a device infused with totally virtual reality as well as augmented reality that projects digital images on top of real-world settings.
-
George Orwell’s 'Animal Farm' to be published as AI-powered 'living book'
As artificial intelligence programs such as ChatGPT offer new tools for creativity and content creation, one company is using AI-powered software in tandem with classic literature in a way you might not expect.
Entertainment
-
Tupac Shakur receives Walk of Fame star honour in the same month as birthday
Tupac Shakur received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Wednesday, just several days before the hip-hop legend’s birthday.
-
Actor Jay Johnston, known for 'Bob's Burgers' character, arrested on Capitol riot charges
An actor known for his roles on the comedy television shows "Bob's Burgers" and "Mr. Show with Bob and David" was arrested Wednesday on charges that he joined a mob of Donald Trump supporters in confronting police officers during the U.S. Capitol riot, court records show.
-
Shannen Doherty reveals cancer has spread to her brain
Actress Shannen Doherty is letting her social media followers in on the spread of her breast cancer.
Business
-
Irving Oil weighing its options, including the possible sale of its assets
Irving Oil says it’s undertaking a “strategic review” with an eye to its future. In a release Wednesday, the company says it’s looking at a number of options, including the sale of its assets.
-
Stock market today: Wall Street listless early ahead of new labor market data
Wall Street stabilized before Thursday's opening bell after a heavy sell-off a day earlier in the tech sector dragged some benchmarks lower.
-
Bank of Canada ends pause on hikes, raises policy rate by 25 basis points
The Bank of Canada raised its overnight rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent on Wednesday, its first increase since pausing hikes in January.
Lifestyle
-
Two winning tickets sold for Tuesday's $70 million Lotto Max jackpot
Two lucky lottery ticket holders in British Columbia and Ontario will split the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot.
-
Montana says 1st-in-nation TikTok ban protects people. TikTok says it violates their rights
Montana became the first state in the U.S. to enact a complete ban on TikTok on Wednesday when Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed a measure that's more sweeping than any other state's attempts to curtail the social media app, which is owned by a Chinese tech company.
-
June is rhubarb picking time in the garden, so pucker up
Years ago, when my now-grown daughter Justine was a toddler, we visited a U-pick farm where she plucked plump, ripe strawberries from a field of sprawling plants. Some made it into the basket on that sunny June day; others went directly into her mouth.
Sports
-
Heat, following similar script as Game 1, lose to Nuggets in Game 3 with poor shooting
Those open looks Miami kept knocking down three nights earlier in Denver just wouldn't go down back home.
-
Jays reliever Bass meets with Pride Toronto director after apologizing for post
Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass said he's "in a better place moving forward" after speaking with Pride Toronto's executive director in the wake of his social media post that supported anti-2SLGBTQ+ boycotts.
-
No homecoming for Messi as Barcelona again fails to do enough to lure him back
Once again, Barcelona couldn't do enough to entice Lionel Messi.
Autos
-
Climate activists deflate tires of more than 100 SUVs in Denmark's capital
A group of climate activists claimed responsibility on Wednesday for deflating the tires of sport utility vehicles in Denmark's capital. More than 100 vehicles were vandalized, police said.
-
WATCH
WATCH | Police chase 10-year-old driver on Michigan highway
A 10-year-old driving a stolen Buick led Michigan police on a highway chase last month, newly released video shows.
-
Vehicle theft soared in 2022, led by Quebec and Ontario: report
Insurance industry group Equite Association says vehicle theft in multiple provinces surged last year. Vehicle theft was up by 50 per cent in Quebec year over year, by 48.3 per cent in Ontario, by 34.5 per cent in Atlantic Canada and by 18.3 per cent in Alberta.
