Border-City Mayors Ask Government to Scrap ArriveCan App

According to a CTV News report, a coalition of Chambers of Commerce representing border communities is calling on the federal government to scrap the ArriveCan app requirements for travelers crossing the border.

A Statistics Canada report shows U.S. visits through land ports are still down significantly across the country. The border-city mayors are therefore also asking the government to lift the remaining COVID-related border restrictions.

Wait times at land border crossings have lengthened by up to two hours since 2019 despite traffic being cut in half, and bridge authorities attribute this entirely to restrictions and the ArriveCAN app.

“The border measures are not only slowing down border crossings, but they’re also having a deterrent effect on visitors from the USA,” said Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce CEO Rakesh Naidu.

“The ArriveCAN app is hurting both our tourism industry and our economy in general,” added Naidu.

“It isn’t only affecting the tourism industry. More than half of the total trade Canada conducts with the United States is by truck. The additional time and resources spent on border measures and the ArriveCAN app slows the crossing for all and puts additional strain on already stretched supply chains.”

The group of chambers representing border communities includes the following:

• Vallee Chamber of Commerce
• New Brunswick; the Amherstburg
• Fort Frances
• Windsor-Essex Regional
• Greater Kingston
• Sarnia Lambton
• Greater Niagara Chambers of Commerce
• Crystal City & District Chamber of Commerce