Using the ArriveCAN App

[Peel]

I’ll be heading across the boarder from the San Juans into the Canadian Gulf Islands in 2 weeks. While I’ve done this trip many times in the before-times, this will be the first time I’ve gone since the boarder restrictions have eased, and it’s the first time since they introduced the requirement to use the ArriveCAN app.
Even though I can’t fill out an official arrival form until 72 hours before departure, I wanted to go through the form process now as a dry run, in case anything surprising came up that I would then have to scramble to resolve on short notice. I’m glad I chose to do this, as I have indeed come across a surprise, and wondered what others have done here.
Specifically, there is a requirement to have an agreement in place with a location where you can quarantine for 14 days if necessary. This requires a physical Canadian address, and the app checks this against the post office list of verified addresses. Since I’ll be aboard my boat, I don’t have an address to enter. I imagine that if I were staying at a marina, I could use their address, but since I plan to be on the hook the majority of the time I don’t know what to do. The app doesn’t provide a text box for providing an explanation either.
Surely others have faced this dilemma as well. If you have what did you do?

[MARC D]

I think you should provide address of closest marina from your anchorage. ArriveCan staff will communicate with you by phone in the remote case they would ask you to quarantine. So address is not critical in your case.

[PippaB]

We had the exact same issue transiting south from Alaska last year during the period when the restrictions meant we were only allowed to transit, so no way to quarantine in one location. Things have changed a little, but not that much. We had a frank conversation with the Border Services folk on the phone before our arrival, they told us to use the Prince Rupert Yacht Club address since that is where we were checking in, and they fully expected us to be out of the country before two weeks had gone by, knew we wouldn't be near the YC for more than the couple of hours needed for formalities, as long as we didn't get off the boat during our transit that was satisfactory.

The current Border Services webpage says:

Starting April 25, 2022, the following people will no longer be required to provide quarantine plans when travelling to Canada:

fully vaccinated travellers....

For those who need a quarantine plan, questions include:

whether you have accommodation where you can quarantine for 14 days or possibly longer
the address of your quarantine location (the place where you'll quarantine for 14 days.
If you're fully vaccinated, this is the place you could go if you develop symptoms or test positive)
if you're arriving by marine vessel, include the address where the vessel will be moored

[Peel]

Thanks Pippa. Thanks good advice, and knowing that it worked for you makes me feel confident that it will for me as well. I also saw the statement on the Boarder Services webpage that quarantine arrangements wouldn’t be required. Apparently they forgot to tell the people responsible for maintaining the app, as its still a required field to enter before submitting the form.

[rondelais]

We entered Canada last August just two days after the Canadians opened up to US entry. Both ArriveCAN and CBP ROAM were brand new (ay least to us). We followed instructions to register with ArriveCAN, We also ran into the question of where we would quarantine. We were planning on going up the St John River, so I called the yacht club (RKYC) and asked if we could use their address. They said “good idea”. We also used the app to upload photos of our vax certificates. We then had a question about COVID testing. At that time a negative PCR test no more than one day “before departure” was required - clearly aimed at air or auto arrival. Since we are a 5 kt sailboat, and testing facilities in eastern ME are limited, this was basically impossible. I called the ArriveCAN folks (for whom all this was brand new) and the agent I spoke with thought a while, talked to at least one of his fellow agents, and concluded that “departure” could be defined as when we were last ashore in the US. I got his name and phone in case someone at our arrival disagreed. We chose to enter Canada at Head Harbor, Campobello. We tied up, and did the arrival thing on ArriveCAN. All went well until they could not access our vax certs in the system. After fooling around with the software for a while (I’m sure the problem was fixed long ago), they finally decided to send a couple of agents from the bridge at Lubec. (The fact that there was a manned station there was one of the reasons we chose to go to Campobello rather than say Grand Manan.) The agents showed up and all was well. We sure love the Canadians! Coming back, we used CBP ROAM. We had been registered with the previous SVRS, and all our data (passports, vessel info, etc) transferred to the new system which was easy to use and worked flawlessly. Of course, we were coming and going in a region that doesn’t see a lot of traffic, so the agents on both sides are not overburdened. Thing may be less flexible on the Great Lakes or the PNW.

[OBT]

Per your question about entering Canada, I called both the customs and border protection offices and here's what I learned:

Entering Canada

ArriveCAN
helpline 833-283-7403
Register vaccination info with ArriveCAN through app. You will need an electronic receipt for each of the crew fully vaccinated crew are exempted from quarantine.

72 hrs ahead before casting off the lines.
All crew (allegedly) can be done from one account if you can't figure that out, each can do their own.

customs info 800-461-9999 (BIS)

Upon Arrival
Telephone reporting center by Captain only
phone is provided
Dial 1-888-226-7277
report # is then posted in a portlight on dock side of boat
Necessary documentation to include:
ArriveCAN receipts
Passports
Ships papers
??

This might all be done simply over the phone or you might be asked to come to a dock for personal visit from an officer.

Stay on the deep side of the buoys,

Thom
sv Oriane

[c.K.]

Originally Posted by Peel

I’ll be heading across the boarder from the San Juans into the Canadian Gulf Islands in 2 weeks. While I’ve done this trip many times in the before-times, this will be the first time I’ve gone since the boarder restrictions have eased, and it’s the first time since they introduced the requirement to use the ArriveCAN app.
Even though I can’t fill out an official arrival form until 72 hours before departure, I wanted to go through the form process now as a dry run, in case anything surprising came up that I would then have to scramble to resolve on short notice. I’m glad I chose to do this, as I have indeed come across a surprise, and wondered what others have done here.
Specifically, there is a requirement to have an agreement in place with a location where you can quarantine for 14 days if necessary. This requires a physical Canadian address, and the app checks this against the post office list of verified addresses. Since I’ll be aboard my boat, I don’t have an address to enter. I imagine that if I were staying at a marina, I could use their address, but since I plan to be on the hook the majority of the time I don’t know what to do. The app doesn’t provide a text box for providing an explanation either.
Surely others have faced this dilemma as well. If you have what did you do?

This is all in constant change staring july less restrictions

[Nord Sal]

Originally Posted by Peel

I’ll be heading across the boarder from the San Juans into the Canadian Gulf Islands in 2 weeks. While I’ve done this trip many times in the before-times, this will be the first time I’ve gone since the boarder restrictions have eased, and it’s the first time since they introduced the requirement to use the ArriveCAN app.
Even though I can’t fill out an official arrival form until 72 hours before departure, I wanted to go through the form process now as a dry run, in case anything surprising came up that I would then have to scramble to resolve on short notice. I’m glad I chose to do this, as I have indeed come across a surprise, and wondered what others have done here.
Specifically, there is a requirement to have an agreement in place with a location where you can quarantine for 14 days if necessary. This requires a physical Canadian address, and the app checks this against the post office list of verified addresses. Since I’ll be aboard my boat, I don’t have an address to enter. I imagine that if I were staying at a marina, I could use their address, but since I plan to be on the hook the majority of the time I don’t know what to do. The app doesn’t provide a text box for providing an explanation either.
Surely others have faced this dilemma as well. If you have what did you do?

I have also been doing 'dry runs' with the ArriveCan app and expect to be entering Canada through the San Juans about the same time as you.

I am planning to use "Other" as the destination type of the quaratine location with the border station as the address (Bedwell Harbor). In my case:

Aboard S/V Nord Säl
9802 Spalding Road
Pender Island, BC
V0N 2M0

There are then a series of questions about the quarantine location asking whether you'll have food/water, contact with others, whether it's a group setting environment, etc.

The app works using the Bedwell Harbor station address and I imagine it will with the others also. The physical addresses of the other border stations in the area you might use, e.g., Victoria, Cowichan Bay, Sydney, Nanaimo, etc. can be found on the web from the CBSA website.

My problem is that the Bedwell Harbor station was just recently opened and doesn't show up in the ArriveCan app's drop-down menu listing open ports of entry. I'm thinking I'll just use a different border station on the app and then call in when close and tell them I'm going to Bedwell. Hopefully the app will be updated by that time to list Bedwell.

I'll wave if I see you

[Scorpius]

1. Pick the spot in the Gulf Islands where you want to check in.
2. Find a nearby anchorage where you could quarantine for the 14 days on the hook - if necessary.
3. Research a nearby marina.
4. Use their address.

[Peel]

Originally Posted by Nord Sal

I have also been doing 'dry runs' with the ArriveCan app and expect to be entering Canada through the San Juans about the same time as you.

I am planning to use "Other" as the destination type of the quaratine location with the border station as the address (Bedwell Harbor). In my case:

Aboard S/V Nord Säl
9802 Spalding Road
Pender Island, BC
V0N 2M0

There are then a series of questions about the quarantine location asking whether you'll have food/water, contact with others, whether it's a group setting environment, etc.

The app works using the Bedwell Harbor station address and I imagine it will with the others also. The physical addresses of the other border stations in the area you might use, e.g., Victoria, Cowichan Bay, Sydney, Nanaimo, etc. can be found on the web from the CBSA website.

My problem is that the Bedwell Harbor station was just recently opened and doesn't show up in the ArriveCan app's drop-down menu listing open ports of entry. I'm thinking I'll just use a different border station on the app and then call in when close and tell them I'm going to Bedwell. Hopefully the app will be updated by that time to list Bedwell.

I'll wave if I see you

Bedwell Harbor is also the station I plan to use for entry. I was wondering what was up with it not being listed in the pull down menu. I didn’t realize that it had only recently reopened. Hopefully it shows up before departure date. Otherwise, I suppose your plan to simply enter a different nearby station makes sense. Clearly if they’re open and not yet in the app it’s something they’re used to dealing with.
I’ll be on the lookout for you if we happen to cross paths.