Two week quarantine imposed on Ontario woman after day trip to Buffalo
A Toronto-area woman has been forced to isolate for 14 days after returning from a day trip to the United States and forgetting to fill out her ArriveCAN app.
Laurie Fonseca spent just seven hours shopping across the border in Buffalo, New York, but when the fully vaccinated Mississauga woman and her friend were returning to Canada at the Rainbow Bridge crossing, they were told to quarantine for two weeks due to not pre-registering on the ArriveCAN app.
“It was like being kicked in the gut,” Fonseca told CTV News Toronto on Thursday. “I'm basically bound in my house for 14 days and I'm a Canadian citizen, fully vaccinated — this makes absolutely no sense to me.”
The Canada Border Services said in a release issued Tuesday that the ArriveCAN app “remains mandatory for everyone, regardless if travellers enter by land/air/marine or how long they were away from Canada.”
Canadian citizens, permanent residents and persons registered under the Indian Act will not be denied entry if they do not submit their information in the ArriveCan app, but will not be eligible for the fully vaccinated traveller exemption, may face additional delays at the border for public health questioning and may be subject to fines or enforcement action.
Fonseca says she asked the CBSA officer whether she could park her car and fill out the registration then but was denied.
Fonseca’s travelling companion will miss an important family event due to the imposed quarantine, she says.
“She's got a flight on Dec. 14th at 9 p.m. to go back home to England for her brother's 60th birthday,” Fonseca said. “The border guard said, ‘Well she won't be going because quarantine ends at 11:59 p.m.’”
Canada Border Services declined to speak on the specifics of this case, but highlighted that it's a must to have the ArriveCAN app filled out and to do your homework before travelling across the border.
With files from CTV News Toronto's Austin Delaney.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
BREAKING Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza’s vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as ceasefire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife’s edge.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man books $7,700 luxury villa on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he was charged more than $7,700 to book a luxury villa on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Putin begins his fifth term as president, more in control of Russia than ever
Vladimir Putin began his fifth term Tuesday as Russian leader at a glittering Kremlin inauguration, setting out on another six years in office after destroying his political opponents, launching a devastating war in Ukraine and concentrating all power in his hands.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.