Border town mayors urge Trudeau to do away with ArriveCAN app

Following the Trudeau Liberals' announcement that vaccine mandates for travel would be coming to an end, mayors of numerous border towns have called for the ArriveCAN app to be next on the chopping block.

Many have argued that the app, which was launched in November 2020, has served its purpose, and is no longer needed.

On Wednesday, mayors from multiple border towns in Ontario held a virtual news conference in an attempt to persuade Trudeau to do away with the app.

"We're being punished by not being recognized that this need for this app has gone and you can't justify its continued existence," Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said.

He went on to argue that his town, and others like it, are "the Rodney Dangerfield of cities" because they're "not treated with respect by the federal government."

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati echoed Bradley's statements, adding that by keeping the app, the feds are putting billions of tourist dollars and thousands of jobs in that sector "at risk."

As CTV News reports, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens was unable to attend the news conference, but offered his thoughts on the matter afterwards.

"It's impossible to run a system, a transit system on schedule if you have the drivers trying to police something like the ArriveCan app," Dilkens said, referring to the currently inoperable Transit Windsor's cross-border tunnel bus.

All those involved talked about the damage lack of cross-border travel has had on their local economies, many of which rely on American tourist and trade dollars to succeed.

As the Canadian Press reports, BC NDP MP Richard Cannings said business at duty-free shops in his riding, which includes six border crossings, is down 95 percent since the pandemic began.

There has not yet been any word from the federal government as to when the app may be shelved.