The ongoing investigation into the $60 million ArriveCan app continues to unfold, with officials from the Canada Border Services Agency addressing MPs at the House of Commons Government Operations Committee. Here are some key points from the discussion:

– Jonathan Moor, Vice-President of the Canada Border Services Agency’s Comptrollership Branch, acknowledged that while ArriveCan provided value for money, there is room for improvement in terms of maximizing taxpayer value.
– Moor highlighted that the digital declaration feature of the ArriveCan app saved Canadians money compared to traditional paper customs forms. Approximately 60 million travellers utilized this digital option during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a cost savings of $1 per submission versus $3 for paper forms.
– Despite facing challenges during the app’s development amid the pandemic, Moor emphasized that lessons have been learned and improvements continue to be made.
– Currently, it costs $3 million annually to operate the voluntary ArriveCan app, which is still utilized by around 300,000 travellers monthly (3.6 million annually) who benefit from expedited customs processing.
– Concerns were raised by Conservative MP Larry Brock regarding transparency and accountability within CBSA leadership. Moor acknowledged areas where oversight fell short and outlined steps taken to enhance transparency and procurement processes moving forward.
– To address these concerns and prevent future issues, all CBSA managers responsible for approving contracts now undergo mandatory training and an executive committee reviews contracts exceeding $40,000.

These measures aim to enhance transparency and strengthen internal oversight within CBSA operations. By implementing these changes, officials are working towards ensuring accountability and efficiency in their procurement processes.