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.
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.
Video of the moment a suspect left Toronto Pearson International Airport with more than $22 million in gold and cash has been released by police.
The Alberta government says it's closing in on a new deal for family doctor pay, but a physicians' group says it must include those with small patient rosters.
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.
A former Montreal resident has been sentenced to 10 years in a United States federal prison for a multi-decade fraud that manipulated more than one million Americans into sending money to fake psychics.
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
The sound of a vehicle backfiring spooked a circus elephant while she was getting a pre-show bath in Butte, Montana, leading the pachyderm to break through a fence and take a brief walk, stopping noontime traffic on the city's busiest street before being loaded back into a trailer.
The U.S. Senate began its showdown over the articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Wednesday as Democrats are expected to move quickly to dismiss the articles, while Republicans insist there must be a full trial.
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
Uber is helping investigators lookin into the account that sent a driver to the Ohio home where an 81-year-old man allegedly shot the woman to death because he erroneously believed she was part of a scam, the ride-hailing company said Wednesday.
Russian forces are being withdrawn from Azerbaijan's Karabakh region, where they have been stationed as peacekeepers since the end of a war in 2020, officials of both countries said Wednesday.
An issue with the system that calculates weight and balance of Alaska Airlines planes, causing all of its flights to be halted on Wednesday morning, has been resolved and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) cancelled a ground stop.
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing the Conservatives of siding with “multi-millionaires” and standing against fairness over their decision not to support the federal budget.
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
The Alberta government says it's closing in on a new deal for family doctor pay, but a physicians' group says it must include those with small patient rosters.
A new study says an African woman is roughly 130 times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth complications than a woman in Europe or North America, the UN population fund reported Wednesday as it decried widening inequality in sexual and reproductive health and rights worldwide.
British Columbia’s decriminalization pilot project has been a key topic of discussion at various levels of government in recent weeks, with the conversation re-igniting after comments about diversion by a high-ranking officer of the Vancouver Police Department.
There are a lot of risks when it comes to adolescents using screens — and a new multinational study shows weight-related bullying may be among them.
NASA confirmed Monday that a mystery object that crashed through the roof of a Florida home last month was a chunk of space junk from equipment discarded at the International Space Station.
Astronomers have spotted the most massive known stellar black hole in the Milky Way galaxy after detecting an unusual wobble in space.
The Sundance Film Festival may not always call Park City, Utah, home. The Sundance Institute has started to explore the possibility of other U.S. locations to host the independent film festival starting in 2027, the organization said Wednesday.
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.
Eight-year-old songwriter Zuri Hamilton from Miramichi, N.B., got to show off her talent on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' on Monday.
Boeing was the subject of dual Senate hearings Wednesday as Congress examined allegations of major safety failures at the embattled aircraft manufacturer, which has been pushed into crisis mode since a door-plug panel blew off a 737 Max jetliner during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
Shoppers Drug Mart is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit by current and former franchise owners at the retail chain who allege parent company Loblaw engaged in corporate practices that placed them in an “irredeemable conflict of interest” and put patient care at risk.
Tim Hortons is launching flatbread pizzas nationally in a bid to pick up more afternoon and evening customers.
In Salman Rushdie's first book since the 2022 stabbing that hospitalized him and left him blind in one eye, the author wastes no time reliving the day he thought might be his last.
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
The one thing 9-year-old Cal Clifford wanted more than anything since he was a toddler was a pet octopus.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
The federal government's move to reduce its office space by 50 per cent over the next 10 years could open up discussions on a potential site for a new Ottawa Senators arena in downtown Ottawa, according to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.
Klay Thompson went scoreless for the first time since his rookie season and had the most missed shots without a make in a playoff game by a Warriors player in at least 50 seasons.
Tesla will ask shareholders to reinstate a US$55 billion compensation package for CEO Elon Musk that was rejected by a judge in Delaware this year and to move the electric car maker's corporate home from Delaware to Texas.
Tesla has hit a series of roadblocks, including increased competition and declining sales. The company announced Monday it is slashing 10 per cent of its global workforce.
A driver from London will have to find alternative transportation after an OPP officer clocked them travelling nearly 200 km/h on Highway 401 over the weekend.
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.
While many people choose to keep their medical appointments private, four longtime friends decided to undergo vasectomies as a group in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
B.C. resident Robert Conrad spent thousands of hours on Crown land developing an unusual bond with deer.
A Sudbury woman said her husband was bringing the recycling out to the curb Wednesday night when he had to make a 'mad dash' inside after seeing a bear.
Transit users taking SkyTrain through Burnaby Wednesday were warned to expect service interruptions due to a medical emergency.
Police in Metro Vancouver say their investigation into how a vehicle ended up at the bottom of the Fraser River has led to the discovery of other submerged vehicles, including a school bus and at least two stolen cars.
Seven people were arrested and charges may be possible in connection to a massive drug seizure in Chilliwack, Mounties in that city say.
Video of the moment a suspect left Toronto Pearson International Airport with more than $22 million in gold and cash has been released by police.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
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Calgary has a new brand and it's looking up.
A Calgary doctor has been charged with fraud after allegedly submitting millions of dollars in false claims to the province.
The City of Calgary is once again postponing some residential street sweeping operations due to spring snow.
Ottawa motorists are being warned to expect a big hike in gasoline prices this week, as prices rise to the highest level since August 2022.
The federal government's move to reduce its office space by 50 per cent over the next 10 years could open up discussions on a potential site for a new Ottawa Senators arena in downtown Ottawa, according to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe.
Treasury Board President Anita Anand says no government ministry and agency will be left out of the process of cutting 5,000 public-service positions.
Quebec's education ministry says it is working on clarifying directives on when officials can communicate with the public in a language other than French.
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Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has dipped into the Quebec government ranks to add a new candidate to his team.
The Alberta government says it's closing in on a new deal for family doctor pay, but a physicians' group says it must include those with small patient rosters.
Two semis rolled Wednesday morning in and around Edmonton.
A wildfire in west-central Alberta that was sparked by a natural gas pipeline rupture Tuesday is under control.
The RCMP says it is investigating a sudden death in Nova Scotia’s Colchester County.
Nova Scotia is opening the first long-term care facility in a First Nations community in the province.
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Though spring may be here, parts of Manitoba are set to get a blast of winter weather this week.
Though Winnipeg is full of hardcore hockey lovers, there’s one man who says he’s the Winnipeg Jets biggest fan.
Police say they pulled over and arrested a Manitoba school bus driver for impaired driving while he was taking children to school.
A 36-year-old man who was an inmate at the Regina Correctional Centre (RCC) was found dead on Tuesday morning, a news release from the province said.
Tuesday night in government committee saw the Ministry of Social Services release documents revealing how much funding was sent to two Regina motels associated with Sask. Party MLA Gary Grewal.
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.
The Waterloo Region Police Services Board wants to explore new ways of dealing with an annual unsanctioned St. Patrick’s Day street party in Waterloo’s University District.
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
A Toronto man is facing weapons and other charges after allegedly pulling out a hammer to avoid paying a bar tab in Guelph.
A former massage therapist who pleaded guilty to a string of sexual assaults has had his day parole revoked.
Motorists in Saskatoon are advised to drive cautiously, with roads wet and slushy following a night of rain and now.
Saskatoon residents may not think of bug infestations as a common problem, but over the past few years there’s one creepy crawler that is making its presence known.
The body of a missing man has been found after his vehicle was pulled into a northern creek on Saturday morning, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 26-year-old woman with several offences following an incident Monday morning.
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
It’s not every day that a new washroom becomes the talk of the town. But in the Lake Huron tourist community of Grand Bend a new so-called smart washroom has many residents and business owners flush with joy.
It’s an issue affecting local high schools across the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB).
Isaiah George, Sam Dickinson and Kasper Halttunen all scored for the Knights, who grabbed a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven OHL quarterfinal series.
One person was taken to the hospital after their vehicle rolled into a drainage creek off Highway 400 in Barrie.
Police advise vehicle owners to be cautious about selling privately after a recent incident where the seller did everything right when faced with a scammer.
Coyotes are no strangers to neighbourhoods in Barrie, with more sightings and encounters reported all the time.
Windsor police have issued an arrest warrant for a 24-year-old man related to an alleged sexual assault of a minor.
Juliana Pannunzio, 20, was killed on Jan. 19, 2021 at a house party in Fort Erie, Ont.
Just like solving crime, running a long race can take time and dedication, according to organizers of the Southern Footprints race.
Construction workers are poised to start building a BC Cancer centre in Nanaimo in 2025 – bringing access to critical treatment services closer to home for thousands of people on Vancouver Island.
Police in Metro Vancouver say their investigation into how a vehicle ended up at the bottom of the Fraser River has led to the discovery of other submerged vehicles, including a school bus and at least two stolen cars.
As the federal government unveiled a housing-heavy deficit budget, B.C.’s premier isn’t just ready to cash the cheque for his province’s share, he’s seemingly taunting his counterparts about their reluctance.
British Columbia is planning to add 240 new units to its complex-care housing program, providing homes for people with mental-health and addictions challenges that overlap with other serious conditions.
More than 80 residents from a low-income apartment building in Kelowna, B.C., have learned they won't be able to return to their homes for at least another two weeks.
Mounties are investigating a reported "road rage" incident in Kelowna, B.C., that left two men injured last week.
Lethbridge police have arrested a Vermilion, Alta., man in connection with a 'grandparent scam' that took aim at a local senior.
A serious multi-vehicle crash closed a highway north of Coaldale, Alta., on Wednesday morning.
With or without federal support, improvements to a major southern Alberta highway continue because of its critical economic importance as an east-west corridor, the province says.
A suspect riding a bicycle on Gibbs Street in Sault Ste. Marie this week has been charged with assaulting police, along with drug-related offences.
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 26-year-old woman with several offences following an incident Monday morning.
The Sault College Women’s Hockey team is less than a month removed from its second straight ACHA W2 National Championship.
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
A pricing agreement has been reached between crab fishers and seafood processors that will allow for Newfoundland and Labrador's annual crab fishery to get started.
Longliners across Newfoundland and Labrador are tied up once again, as a new protest by the province's fish harvesters threatens to derail the crab fishery for a second straight year.
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