Fewer tourists, fewer sales and more inconvenience — that’s what a group of local businesses fear will result from keeping the ArriveCAN app after the pandemic ends.
The concerns are being raised as the federal government continues to explore the potential to use the app after the pandemic to help speed up border checks.
“We will never move forward if this application is not completely eliminated,” said Liz Melosh, general manager of the Windsor Detroit Tunnel duty-free store.
She said business is down 40 to 60 percent from pre-pandemic levels, citing the app as a roadblock to recovery.
“[American tourists are] I just avoid coming. They stay in their own backyard instead of crossing over here and spending their dollars with border businesses,” Melosh said.
Meanwhile, Mike Bradley, mayor of Sarnia, said moving the customs process online was unnecessary.
“They’re not going to go through this whole process just to take a trip to Canada,” he said, referring to the many American tourists who enjoyed making day visits before the pandemic began.
Bradley said the federal government is ignoring his concerns.
“We are on the front line. We understand that this app is not working so well.”
“We need more people…not apps”
Beth Potter, president and CEO of the Travel Industry Association of Canada, said the app will need to be changed to make it more user-friendly, especially if there are plans for longer-term use.
“When you look at the way travel is handled around the world, it’s becoming more and more digitized … We just want to make sure that whatever tool is used is the right one … so it’s a seamless experience for a traveler .”
But shop owners like Renaldo Agostino of Turbo Espresso Bar want the ArriveCAN app removed entirely.
Agostino said he worries the government simply wants to replace border officials with an app.
“I am concerned that this is a cutback move by the government [customs] jobs at the border … It seems like these days the wait to cross the border is longer and the crossing is with fewer cars,” he said. “We need more people. No more apps.”
He said tourists planning to spend a few days on the Canadian side of the border probably won’t feel the impact — but there are many others who will.
“What Windsor is used to getting is the day tripper. The guy sitting in Detroit … Or the group of friends sitting around the barbeque saying ‘hey, let’s go to Windsor,’” he said.
“We’re making it harder and harder for these day trippers to get here and that’s a bad thing for Windsor.”
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