Jerseygirl

Although we used the app last November at the land border, when we tried to use it a few days ago, we kept getting the ‘unable to upload’ message. We were told at the airport check in desk that we couldn’t board the plane without it. In the end I tried on a different device and managed to upload it. I received the confirmation email, after my name there was a notation to see the CBS officer. On arrival in Canada I was sent to the Ontario Public Health desk. I produced proof of the 3 vaccines and a negative Covid test. The lady there made a phone call and said someone would call her back. After about 15 mins I was cleared to leave the airport.

Yesterday I received an email from the government stating I had to quarantine for 14 days and could only leave home for medical reasons. I had to fill in a form and email it back each day. Thinking I had to stay home, my husband went back to the airport with all my paperwork and a copy of the ArriveCAN confirmation email, which contained the QR code. The lady at the health desk remembered us and confirmed I had been cleared. Said she would make a call to sort it out.

Today I received another email, asking me to submit the daily form confirming I was in quarantine. I managed to find a number to phone. I explained what happened and was told if a government official arrived at the door or phoned to give details of vaccinations, Covid test and ArriveCAN email. 🤬

Oakvillian

it's all a bit of a mess, isn't it? My OH arrived back at Pearson last week from a short trip, and was pulled for the random testing thing. That's a complete joke - apparently there are signs encouraging you to "book an appointment" for a test in case you get pulled for random testing; presumably, by definition, if everyone booked one of these just in case for a 4% (1 in 25) random sample, then 96% of appointment slots would go unfilled and the system would entirely brak down. So they express surprise when somebody turns up at the screening place without having "booked an appointment" - but then they use the app to book one right there and then. Then three different screeners asked the same questions to which answers had just been given on the booking form. After the test, you're allowed to leave with no follow-up instructions or confirmation emails. Two days later, an email arrived in her inbox telling her she ought to have kept detailed records of exactly where she had been and who she had been in contact with, in case the result came back positive. This email arrived less than half an hour before the email confirming a negative PCR test.

Oh, and of course, she'd had a negative rapid antigen test the morning before her return flight, a negative PCR test five days earlier, before departure, and is triple-vaxed. The whole random testing thing at arrival airports seems to serve absolutely no practical purpose beyond providing a very poor sample set for gathering statistics.

dbd33

I came back on Tuesday. ArriveCan wasn't used (although the airline insisted I fill it in) they've gone back to the cardboard landing cards but instead of getting them on the plane they hand them out in arrivals. I too was randomly selected for covid testing. The app says the results will be available in three weeks.

Several people on the plane had waivers for ArriveCan. If I'd known they existed I would have applied and saved a lot of typing.

All a shambles, but it's YYZ, it's not set up for people arriving on aeroplanes. I'd be surprised and quite disappointed if anything there worked reasonably well.

dbd33

I just received the "ought to have kept detailed records of exactly where she had been and who she had been in contact with, in case the result came back positive." email.

Oh well, that ship has sailed.

Jerseygirl

I have just received a 3rd email, it states that a $5K fine can be levied or transportation to a quarantine facility if not abiding by the quarantine rules and returning the daily questions/answers. What a mess and it’s tax payers who are paying for it.

dbd33

My first email has the $5,000 fine mentioned. It then says "We urge you to be diligent in meeting these requirements; this will help slow the spread of the virus and save lives." which is impossible because they didn't convey the requirements in a timely fashion. Ah well, if they phone, I'll say I've been living in the barn and eating hay stored last summer.

Jerseygirl

It states ‘if you were randomly selected for molecular testing’…I wasn’t. The Health Ontario people were satisfied with my paperwork. ‘If you test positive’…the test I had the day before arrival was negative.

Edit: just received another email…identical to the ones received Wed and Thurs,

Twitcher1958

I entered Canada by road on Tuesday - had my first email this morning. Same happened when I flew back in September from the UK - I phoned on that occasion to check but was told to ignore. Received them for the following X days but nothing else.
It’s a mess, isn’t it?

Jerseygirl

That’s what I was told when I called yesterday. That…and if someone calls, give them details of vaccinations and negative testing…plus I have the ArriveCan QR code confirmation. Can you imagine what these emails could do to an elderly, anxious person? My late MIL would have a heart attack because she would be worried to death.

Twitcher1958

I was going to delete the screenshot of my QR code and receipt from Tuesday but think I’ll hang on to it for a while 😉

Gozit

Hang on to all info until 15 days after entry. The quarantine act covers your first 14 days in Canada.

Jerseygirl

Still receiving the emails, sometimes more than one per day.

glendem4

If you can avoid it, don't travel. Takes all the fun out of going abroad.

Jerseygirl

My daughter said many of the people she works with say the same. They went away at Christmas and said never again until travelling is back to normal.

dbd33

Oh. I've booked another trip already. I would avoid Canada, if possible, because of the administrivia but the European countries seem fine. A bonus of flying at this time is low occupancy, I had a row of seats on each of my flights.