Canada to bring ArriveCAN pre-reporting feature to more airports

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has announcement plans to expand the ArriveCAN functionality, which allows inbound travelers to pre-declare their arrival information at other airports across the country.

The CBSA’s new pre-declaration feature offers passengers the choice of providing their customs and immigration details up to 72 hours before arriving in Canada.

This should reduce passenger wait times at airports across Canada, which have experienced massive disruptions due to labor shortages. The problem escalated due to an increase in travel demand after the easing of Covid-19-induced restrictions.

Currently, international passengers landing at Toronto Pearson (YYZ), Montreal-Trudeau (YUL) and Vancouver (YVR) international airports can access the optional new feature.

CBSA plans to expand functionality to inbound passengers at Winnipeg (YWG), Halifax (YHZ), Calgary (YYC), Edmonton (YEG), Billy Bishop Toronto (YTZ), Ottawa (YOW) and Quebec City international airports (YQB) over the next few months.

In a statement, the agency said: “By submitting their customs and immigration information in advance, travelers spend less time at Primary Inspection Kiosks (PIKs) or eGates when arriving at the airport, which reduces queues in the arrival halls.

“Early usage data from Toronto Pearson and Vancouver airports indicates that using the CBSA’s optional pre-declaration reduces the time a traveler spends at a kiosk by approximately one-third.

“With the thousands of travelers arriving at Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal airports every day, using the CBSA’s optional advance declaration has the potential to save hours of waiting.”

CBSA Advance Reporting is part of the Traveler Modernization Program, another CBSA initiative expected to be launched in the coming years.

As part of the modernization, the agency plans to integrate digital solutions and tools for passengers and border services personnel.

These solutions will support faster, contactless border processing, minimize the potential for disease transmission, and support the country’s long-term safety, security and integrity initiatives at its borders.

The CBSA further noted that the provision of travel and public health data through ArriveCAN will continue to be mandatory.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government is facing growing pressure to end use of the ArriveCan app amid travel chaos at major airports.

The government is also under pressure to employ additional staff at airports to reduce disruption.