The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said on Wednesday the $59.5 million of taxpayers' money spent on the ArriveCan app was because of the potential of COVID transmission through paper customs forms. Jonathan Moor, vice-president of the CBSA said the urgency in transitioning to ArrivCan was to address the fears, according to Blacklock's Reporter.During his testimony at the Commons public accounts committee, Moor reiterated the agency's response to the perceived risk associated with handling paper documents. "We were told we could catch COVID from touching documents," he said, adding it led to the need to prioritize the implementation of an electronic system.Contrary to the agency's claims, the Public Health Agency never asserted that COVID could be transmitted through paper. Dr. Howard Njoo, deputy chief public health officer, clarified early in the pandemic there was no evidence supporting such claims. "The risk is not really out there," Dr. Njoo said on March 23, 2020, reassuring the public that handwashing was an adequate precaution for those handling paperwork.Despite conflicting claims, the CBSA continued to justify the necessity of the ArriveCan app. In a report to the government operations committee in 2023, the agency claimed time-saving benefits for travellers, a point contested by the Customs and Immigration Union.CBSA claimed that ArriveCan "saved lives" although acknowledging the speculative nature of this claim. Moor defended the agency's actions, expressing pride in their response to the pandemic while acknowledging the challenges faced.“Mr. Moor, all the countries in the world had to deal with that crisis and very few of them thought to have $60 million for an app like ArriveCan,” said Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Terrebonne, PQ). “In some self-respecting countries there are internal controls.”“Do you think you did a good job?” asked Sinclair-Desgagné. "I do believe I did my job well during the pandemic,” replied Moor. “These were very, very difficult times. This is a time where people were crossing the border to return back to Canada when we were told we could catch COVID from touching documents.”
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said on Wednesday the $59.5 million of taxpayers' money spent on the ArriveCan app was because of the potential of COVID transmission through paper customs forms. Jonathan Moor, vice-president of the CBSA said the urgency in transitioning to ArrivCan was to address the fears, according to Blacklock's Reporter.During his testimony at the Commons public accounts committee, Moor reiterated the agency's response to the perceived risk associated with handling paper documents. "We were told we could catch COVID from touching documents," he said, adding it led to the need to prioritize the implementation of an electronic system.Contrary to the agency's claims, the Public Health Agency never asserted that COVID could be transmitted through paper. Dr. Howard Njoo, deputy chief public health officer, clarified early in the pandemic there was no evidence supporting such claims. "The risk is not really out there," Dr. Njoo said on March 23, 2020, reassuring the public that handwashing was an adequate precaution for those handling paperwork.Despite conflicting claims, the CBSA continued to justify the necessity of the ArriveCan app. In a report to the government operations committee in 2023, the agency claimed time-saving benefits for travellers, a point contested by the Customs and Immigration Union.CBSA claimed that ArriveCan "saved lives" although acknowledging the speculative nature of this claim. Moor defended the agency's actions, expressing pride in their response to the pandemic while acknowledging the challenges faced.“Mr. Moor, all the countries in the world had to deal with that crisis and very few of them thought to have $60 million for an app like ArriveCan,” said Bloc Québécois MP Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné (Terrebonne, PQ). “In some self-respecting countries there are internal controls.”“Do you think you did a good job?” asked Sinclair-Desgagné. "I do believe I did my job well during the pandemic,” replied Moor. “These were very, very difficult times. This is a time where people were crossing the border to return back to Canada when we were told we could catch COVID from touching documents.”
