Costs for ArriveCAN app revealed and Canadians are furious how much was spent

It's no secret that the ArriveCAN app was the source of frustration for many Canadian travellers throughout the past year. The app was blamed by many for the ongoing delays at Pearson Airport, and criticized for its time-consuming questionnaires and so-called lengthy document scans. 

A recent Globe and Mail analysis revealed that the total federal spending for the app is on track to reach over $54 million this year, and many people are upset about just how much the federal government is spending.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) submitted a recent report to Parliament in response to a June 1 question, and stated that the agency had spent $19.7 million on developing the app, and a further $4.9 million on app maintenance - for a total of $29.5 million. 

The Globe and Mail spoke to a CBSA official, who revealed that these costs were tied to the fiscal year that just ended on March 31. According to the unnamed senior official, another $25 million has been approved for the current fiscal year, bringing the total to just over $54 million. 

Naturally, a lot of Canadians were upset to discover the true amount spent on the app, and took to social media to air out their frustrations.

Typical of the current govt. Wasting a whole bunch of money or something no one wanted or needed.

— Bee Mac (@Squeegekid55) October 6, 2022

The ArriveCAN app currently has a 4.4 star rating on the App Store, despite all the negative sentiments on social media. 

What a callosal waste of taxpayers' money! Ridiculous.

— Sunsetseeker (@Sunsetseeker2) October 6, 2022

Others came to the defense of the app, claiming that navigating it was a breeze. 

And it’s a fabulous app. I won’t stop using it. My gosh I sailed through customs without having to fill in paper forms with tiny spaces for letters over and over again

— JOM (@jojo66newbery) October 6, 2022

One person suggested that the price of the app may be justified, given the amount of impressive reviews it has received. 

Duh, the app is so good it has more ratings than Amazon. 600k+ 5 star reviews, that cost millions alone!

— Unacceptable Goofball (@Landon29868131) October 6, 2022

However, another person claimed that the app was never something Canadians wanted or needed. 

Typical of the current govt. Wasting a whole bunch of money or something no one wanted or needed.

— Bee Mac (@Squeegekid55) October 6, 2022

Another person joked that the funds were actually spent on review bots. 

Those review bots aren’t cheap.

— Spooky Anti-Grifter 🎃 (@colossusPhD) October 6, 2022

The use of the ArriveCAN app is now optional as of Sept. 30.