The $20 million federal COVID Alert app was discontinued due to lack of interest, according to a federal report..Only a fraction of Canadians used the app despite the prime minister repeatedly claiming it was their civic duty to download it..“The app was not being utilized to a huge extent,” said Dr. Theresa Tam, chief public health officer. “Not all innovations might work,” she added..Tam called the failed program “a good go at trying to utilize another tool in the current era of apps to try and protect the population.” The app was officially decommissioned last Friday..“I’m sure there will be lessons learned because it would be nice to be able to use some of these newer technologies as part of our ongoing management of outbreaks and pandemics,” said Tam. “But we are where we are.”.According to Blacklock's Reporter, the federal government announced the COVID Alert program June 18, 2020 after budgeting an initial $16.5 million to develop and promote it..Smartphone users who tested positive were asked to upload the information using a key code that would trigger alerts to other smartphone users with whom they had contact..“The more people use it, the better it can trace and therefore slow the spread of the virus,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters at the time. “In fact, health experts say if enough people sign up this app can help prevent future outbreaks of Covid-19 in Canada.”.“Is there a level you’re trying to hit in terms of the number of people downloading the app?” asked a reporter. “If we can talk about a 50% uptake for example, or more, then it becomes extraordinarily useful,” replied Trudeau..“If you don’t get that 50% or higher is there a Plan B?” asked a reporter. “What we are doing, as it is, continues,” replied Trudeau..Records show of 33 million mobile device users in Canada only 6,951,575 downloaded the app, about 21%. Of 3,897,879 Canadians known to test positive for the coronavirus only 63,117, less than 2%, reported it using COVID Alert..“Usage remained limited,” said a federal COVID App Advisory Council report. “Several challenges persisted which prevented the app from reaching its full potential.”.“COVID Alert was unable to reach its full potential due to technological, adoption, process, resource and individual level factors,” said the Final Report: COVID Alert As A Public Health Tool..A 2021 survey by the Department of Health found only 20% of smartphone users said they were “very likely” to use the app. When asked why, respondents said they considered it ineffective (22%), called it “an invasion of privacy” (30%), said “I don’t want the government to have access to my location data” (30%) and concluded “I don’t trust the government to handle my data” (34%), said a COVID Alert App Exploratory And Concept Testing Final Report.
