Ottawa admits some travellers were incorrectly told to quarantine due to ArriveCAN app glitch
CBC
Ottawa says that due to a glitch with the ArriveCAN entry app, some travellers who recently entered Canada were sent erroneous notifications instructing them to quarantine.
The admission comes at a time when the federal government is facing mounting pressure from politicians and tourism groups to scrap the COVID-19 screening tool, arguing it impedes tourism and creates headaches for some travellers.
The ArriveCAN app certainly caused problems for Don and Karin Bennett of Burlington, Ont., after they returned to Canada on July 10 from a trip to Chicago.
Don Bennett said there were no issues at the land border, as they had diligently filled out the app and are fully vaccinated — making them exempt from quarantine.
However, six days later, Bennett said Karin discovered several emails in her junk mailbox from ArriveCAN with quarantine instructions.
"She was confused," he said. "It kind of came out of nowhere."
Bennett said while he believed the problem was a glitch, Karin decided to begin her quarantine, fearful of the possible fine for travellers who break the rules.
"There's the threatening language of fines of $5,000, plus potentially sending police to your house," he said.
But Bennett said his wife has now decided to end her quarantine, after hearing from CBC News that the government has admitted it sent out incorrect quarantine information.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) "has identified a technical glitch with the app that ... can produce an erroneous notification instructing people to quarantine," Audrey Champoux, press secretary to Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino, said in an email.
The problem appears to be linked to Apple devices, and less than three per cent of users have been affected, Champoux said, adding that the CBSA has identified a solution that will be fully implemented by the end of the week.
She said travellers should rely on the instructions they get at the border if they conflict with subsequent notifications about a 14-day quarantine.
The government's admission was in response a CBC News inquiry pointing out that there are dozens of complaints on social media from travellers who say they entered Canada with no issues and then later received a surprise alert about a mandatory quarantine.
Following his experience, Bennett said he believes the ArriveCAN app should be axed.
What the 'inadvertent error' in the PBO's carbon tax analysis means, in as plain English as possible
The next time you feel bad about a mistake in your line of work, spare a thought for the folks at the Parliamentary Budget Office.