Border guards are testing a new 'eGate' at Toronto Pearson Airport to help ease congestion
Another day, another plan at Toronto's Pearson International Airport to stop the ongoing, mind-melting chaos.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is testing a new mechanism at the busy airport that they hope will make travelling easier.
EGates have now been installed at terminal one "to deliver a smoother and faster border experience."
Entering Canada @TorontoPearson Terminal 1 just got easier!#CBSA is testing NEW eGates to deliver a smoother and faster border experience! Travellers 16+ can use eGates to confirm their identity & submit their customs/immigration declaration.
— Canada Border Services Agency (@CanBorder) July 29, 2022
https://t.co/J602xnFZaR pic.twitter.com/cVNYTItRc2
What exactly is an eGate? Great question.
It appears as though travellers can submit their identity documents and customs or immigration declarations without having to speak with an agent, and hopefully without all the winding lines.
CP24 reports that travellers will also have to scan their passports or other documents and then the gate will print a confirmation receipt, which will still have to be handed off to border officer.
There's a catch, though: only travellers 16+ can use the eGate. People travelling in groups will also have to continue using the "existing primary inspections kiosks upon arrival," according to the Border Services GTA Twitter account.
It's important to note that this is not a replacement for ArriveCAN, which is still required for submitting travel and health information.
A link attached to the announcement from the CBSA sends users to a federal government webpage about submitting customs and immigrations information before flying into the country.
It reccomends that eligible travellers use the Advance CBSA Declaration feature within the ArriveCAN app, which lets you make a declaration up to 72 hours in advance.
Currently, this option is available only to international travellers who enter Canada at Pearson through terminals one or three.
Will these gates actually help to reduce the hell-like conditions are Pearson? One thing is fore sure, they won't help stop the cancellation or delays of flights... or find anybody's lost baggage.
