Question Period Note: Impact of Border Measures and Statistics

Overall – weekly data:
• Overall, there has been a decline of 83% in travellers across the country in all modes versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up to December 10).
• Since the implementation of the new requirement for digital submission of information (November 21), data shows that 82% of air travellers used ArriveCAN to submit the required information (over the last 7 days, up to December 6).
• Traveller volumes at the border increased by approximately 6% between last week (November 30 – December 6) and two weeks prior (November 16 – 22):
o 37% more U.S. air travel;
o 29% more international air travel;
o 1% more commercial truck drivers at the land border; and
o 5% more in other highway traffic.

Admissibility of Foreign Nationals under Family Reunification (June 9 – December 10):
• Orders in Council have been introduced that contain provisions which allow foreign nationals who are immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to seek entry to Canada for the purpose of being with their family members.
• Thus far, 23,317 foreign nationals have been allowed to enter Canada for the purpose of family reunification. These travellers were destined to the following provinces/territories:
o Nova Scotia: 3;
o New Brunswick: 512;
o Quebec: 5,538;
o Ontario: 8,812;
o Manitoba: 202;
o Saskatchewan: 113;
o Alberta: 197;
o British Columbia: 7,939; and
o Yukon: 1
Note: Immediate family members can enter Canada under the new OIC 35 and OIC 37 if: (1) they are asymptomatic (2) they are entering Canada to be with their immediate family member; and (3) they can demonstrate the intent to stay in Canada for a period of at least 15 days. In order for a foreign national to be allowed to enter Canada, the standard for entry must be met in full otherwise, they can be denied entry to Canada.

Travellers - Air Mode (from March 22 – December 10):
• Decrease of 92% in U.S. air travellers versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up to December 10).
• Decrease of 86% of international air travellers arriving from other locations (other than the U.S.) versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up to December 10).
• 1,473 U.S. citizens and 432 foreign nationals travelling from the U.S. by air were denied entry into Canada.
• 680 foreign nationals from locations other than the U.S. were also denied entry.
• 4,193 air travellers responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 471 travellers were referred* by the CBSA to a PHAC Quarantine Officer.
• 11,514 asymptomatic travellers referred to PHAC for not having suitable accommodation to quarantine (April 17 – December 10)

Travellers - Land, Rail and Marine Mode (from March 22 – December 10):
• Overall decrease of 78% of highway volumes when compared to this same period last year (over the last 7 days, up to December 10).
• The number of individuals travelling by ferry has decreased by 100% when compared to this same period last year (over the last 7 days, up to December 10).
• The number of private boaters has decreased by 72% when compared to this same period last year (over the last 7 days, up to December 10).
• Passenger rail service has been suspended until further notice (decrease of 100%).
• 23,248 U.S. citizens, and 3,238 other foreign nationals, were denied entry due to non-essential travel.
• 1,743 travellers arriving in land, rail and marine modes responded positively to health screening questions nationally, and 387 travellers were referred by the CBSA* to a PHAC Officer.
• 4,871 asymptomatic travellers referred to PHAC for not having suitable accommodation to quarantine (April 17 – December 10).

*Note: Referral rates for the CBSA are not 1:1; travellers may respond in error, report symptoms that are not COVID-19 related, or be referred to Quarantine Officers from PHAC Screening Officers (which is not captured by CBSA reporting)

Refugee Claimants:
• Week over week, there has been a relatively consistent number of asylum seekers at the Canada/U.S. border since travel was restricted.
• Between March 21 and December 10:
o 1,175 claimants arriving at a port of entry met an exemption to the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and were allowed entry to Canada to proceed with their claim; and,
o 38 claimants were admitted into Canada from the U.S. as an exception under the OICs; whereas,
o 246 refugee claimants seeking entry to Canada were found to be ineligible under the STCA; and
o 226 refugee claimants seeking entry to Canada have been temporarily directed back to the U.S.

Canadians turned back at U.S. Border (as of December 10):
• There were 38 Canadians turned back at the U.S. border in air mode for non-essential travel, and 8,643 in land, rail and marine modes.

Commercial Operations – Year over Year data:

• Overall, there has been a decrease of 1% in commercial truck traffic versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up to December 10)
• Overall, there has been an decrease of 5% in commercial releases in all modes versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up until December 9)
o Decrease of 7% in highway releases versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up until December 9)
o No change (0%) in air releases versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up until December 9)
o Increase of 18% in marine releases versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up until December 9)
o Decrease of 4% in rail releases versus the same period last year (over the last 7 days, up until December 9)
• The service standard for Commercial Border Wait Times (45 minutes) was met 99.7% of the time in the last week.

Border Information Service (on December 9):
• The CBSA’s Border Information Service telephone line is now accessible 24/7 to respond to traveller and business queries.
• 2,576 calls received
• 63% domestic calls to 37% international
• 79% traveller-related; 21% commercial-related
• The most common questions were related to: admissibility (essential travel, immediate family and/or extended family members, transiting Canada), quarantine requirements/exemptions, immigration related inquiries (work/student permits), postal related inquiries (personal and commercial), Alberta pilot projects inquiries.

ArriveCAN (as of December 9)
• Traveller processing has been streamlined through the implementation of web-based applications for submitting information on quarantine plans.
• As of November 4, 2020, passengers can expect to be notified by their air carrier of the need to submit COVID-related information digitally prior to boarding their flight to Canada.
• As of November 21, 2020, travellers seeking entry by air to Canada will be mandated to submit COVID-related information through these digital means before boarding their flight to Canada.
o At that time, travellers who have not completed the information digitally prior to boarding will be permitted to board the aircraft and seek entry to Canada.
o Non-compliant travellers may be subject to enforcement action, which may include a fine or penalty upon arrival.
o Since implementation, 82% of air travellers used ArriveCAN to submit the required information (as of December 6).
• Digital traveller information can be shared quickly and securely with provinces and territories to support public health follow-up, and with law enforcement to verify compliance with the Mandatory Isolation Order.
• Submitting information digitally in all modes of travel also helps travellers reduce their processing time at the border and limit physical contact between travellers and BSOs, as well as Public Health Agency of Canada officers. This also protects the health and safety of travellers and officers.
• Up to December 9, the CBSA has used data obtained from web based applications (e.g. ArriveCAN) to process 468,965 travellers in the air (359,643), land (109,201) and marine (121) modes.

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