Canada’s Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities – Lessons from the ArriveCAN App Fiasco
Canada has long prided itself on being an inclusive society, committed to ensuring that all citizens, regardless of their abilities, are treated with dignity and fairness. However, recent events during the pandemic have raised serious concerns about the country’s readiness to meet the needs of Canadians with disabilities in times of crisis. The flawed rollout of the ArriveCAN app, designed to streamline border entry processes during the COVID-19 pandemic, serves as a case in point. As Canada moves forward in its pandemic recovery, this incident compels a closer examination of how prepared the country truly is to accommodate its most vulnerable citizens during emergencies.
The ArriveCAN app, which became mandatory for travelers entering the country, quickly became a source of frustration for Canadians with disabilities. Designed to collect crucial health information from incoming travelers, the app contained accessibility issues that made it virtually unusable for many. One glaring flaw lay in the inaccessibility of the date field, which rendered the app particularly challenging for individuals using screen readers or other assistive technologies. For a nation that prides itself on inclusivity, this was a disappointing oversight.
The inability of travelers with disabilities to independently complete the mandatory form is not only a matter of inconvenience but a stark reminder of how easily some citizens are left behind in the rush to implement technological solutions.
In hindsight, the Canadian government’s approach with the ArriveCAN app raises serious questions about its commitment to disability-inclusive emergency preparedness. A central concern is the lack of accommodations for travelers with disabilities when they were required to isolate upon arrival. The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) provided no clear or effective measures for how it intended to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities who were forced to isolate, leaving many in a precarious situation. The lack of foresight in addressing this issue is not merely an oversight but a failure of planning and responsibility.
Further complicating the issue is the CBSA’s claim that Canadians with disabilities would have been exempt from using the ArriveCAN app had they requested such an accommodation. While on the surface, this sounds like a reasonable solution, in practice, it is difficult to view this as anything other than a failure to understand the real-world challenges disabled Canadians face. The notion that travelers with disabilities should have had to advocate for themselves, often while navigating the stress and complexity of international travel during a global pandemic, is emblematic of a system that places the burden on those most vulnerable rather than preemptively addressing their needs.
If we are to evaluate Canada’s performance on this issue, the grade would certainly be closer to a failing mark than a passing one. While efforts may have been made in good faith to accommodate people with disabilities, they were far too reactive and incomplete. The failure of the ArriveCAN app’s accessibility features demonstrates that disability inclusion was not prioritized in the early stages of development. By the time the flaws were recognized, many Canadians had already faced significant barriers. The damage had been done.
Was this a case of Canadians with disabilities being left out, or were they simply ignored? The distinction is critical. Being left out implies an unintentional oversight, whereas being ignored suggests a deeper systemic problem—one where the voices and needs of Canadians with disabilities were not properly considered from the start. In this case, the distinction feels blurred. The inaccessible design of the ArriveCAN app and the failure to plan for disabled travelers in isolation suggests that the needs of people with disabilities were not given the weight they deserved, despite clear legal and ethical obligations.
Moving forward, there is an urgent need for Canada to reevaluate its approach to emergency preparedness for people with disabilities. This includes ensuring that accessibility is not an afterthought in the development of essential tools and services. The ArriveCAN fiasco should serve as a wake-up call that technological solutions, no matter how well-intentioned, can exacerbate inequalities if not properly designed to be inclusive from the outset. Additionally, federal agencies like the CBSA must be proactive, not reactive, in meeting the needs of all Canadians, particularly those with disabilities, during national emergencies.
As the world emerges from the pandemic, the lessons learned must not be forgotten. Canada has an opportunity to demonstrate true leadership in inclusivity by addressing the gaps exposed by this incident and ensuring that future emergency responses are fully accessible to every citizen. In the meantime, the experience of disabled Canadians with the ArriveCAN app serves as a sobering reminder that inclusivity requires more than just words—it demands action, foresight, and accountability. And on this occasion, Canada fell short.
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