Jabberwocky, as already mentioned you do not fill it out every time. You create an account with a password. Then you enter the information about your passport and your vaccines. This information stays on your app. Then whenever you return to Canada from a trip all you need to do is enter when you will entering Canada (date and approx. time). You can also save time at the airport by using ArriveCAN to answer customs and immigration questions before your flight lands in Canada. The Advance CBSA Declaration is optional.
What kind of invasion of privacy are you talking about. ArriveCan does not use any GPS or other technology to track your phone. You can also fill out this information online.
I do know how it works. I’ve filled it out again this morning, but I had to redo my kids passport numbers since it doesn’t seem to like dual citizenship (the kids have to travel under their US passport when we head stateside, but from Europe we use their Canadian passports coming back). You do have to fill it out before getting on a plane. Each time I’ve flown back to Canada the airline wants to see it before you get on a plane - but maybe some people enter the wrong information. It may be a small thing, but it’s 20-30 minutes of my day and I value that time. it could be better spent outside walking and taking in the countryside (or reading TUG!).
Contrast the ArriveCAN requirements to the EU. Earlier this month we flew into Frankfurt. We used our Swiss passports to enter. There was no line - we simply used our passport at the automated gate, it used the biometrics to recognize our face and we were in the country. We didn’t have to speak with anyone or enter any information. It used to be this way with the Nexus card (now you are lucky if you can get that renewed). Canada is so behind on technology - there is really no need for what we are doing with ArriveCAN. ArriveCAN serves zero purpose and simply delays things, particularly for frequent travelers.
I don’t want to make this political, but I don’t see why the Public Health Agency of Canada should be getting your travel information (healthcare is a Provincial responsibility). It is a slippery slope. Will we start tracking HIV status? How about those with diabetes, heart problems or other health conditions? Should we make you list every medication that you are on? We may want to exclude those tourists from the country since they could be a burden on the health system. Where does it stop?
I am definitely not a conspiracy theorist, but I’ve traveled and interacted enough with China to see what happens when the government starts using technology to track and restrict the movement of their citizens. I don’t want Canada starting down that road.
