Only 12% of truck drivers crossing into Canada have registered personal information using the ArriveCAN app, and the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) is warning that today’s verbal declarations are only a temporary measure.
The limited uptake is seen as particularly troubling as the federal government looks to align with the European Union and other nations to develop digital proof of vaccinations.
“Although the use of ArriveCAN to digitally store and present proof of vaccination has been mentioned by federal officials, no formal announcement has been made yet regarding the use of ‘vaccine passports’ or its potential implications on travelers, such as truck drivers,” the CTA stresses.
But the Public Health Agency of Canada has since February required all travelers crossing into Canada to supply data including contact information, travel details, and Covid-19 symptoms. That includes truck drivers.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told media that Canada may require international travelers to supply proof of Covid-19 vaccinations before entering the country. The federal government is looking to align its policies with international allies, he added.
In an April briefing for media, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. had no plans to introduce a vaccine passport of its own.
“The government is not now, nor will be, supporting a system that requires Americans to carry a credential,” she said, as reported by CTV News. “There will be no federal vaccinations database and no federal mandate requiring everyone to obtain a single vaccination credential.”
Canadians seem to favor the idea of showing such proof at the border, however. In a recent Ipsos survey, 78% agreed that all travelers entering Canada should be required to have a vaccine passport. The view was shared by 71% of those surveyed in the U.S.
The survey questioned 1,000 people in Canada, and 2,000 individuals in the U.S.