Here's How Canada's 'Screening Officers' Will Check On Travellers During Quarantine
The federal government is reminding all travellers in Canada that “Screening Officers” may pay them a visit post-arrival.
In a statement about the country’s latest travel restrictions, Transport Canada confirmed that newly-trained officials would be tasked with checking up on travellers during their two-week quarantine period.
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$750,000
Possible fine for non-compliance
The role of the Screening Officers will be to visit travellers’ quarantine locations to “establish contact, confirm identify and confirm that travellers are at the place of quarantine they identified upon entry into Canada.”
This is to make sure individuals are complying with Canada’s mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement.
The checks will be conducted across 35 Canadian cities, having already started in Montreal and Toronto back in January.
The officials will provide “compliance education” and will be able to issue verbal warnings, but stronger enforcement action will be referred to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and then law enforcement for follow-up checks.
Failing to comply with the Quarantine Act or with Screening Officers' instructions could result in fines of up to $750,000 or even jail time.
According to the federal agency, the new staff members were hired via the security companies working alongside the government to “help complete compliance checks for travellers arriving in Canada.”
This includes The Canadian Corps of Commissionaires, G4S Secure Solutions (Canada) Ltd., Garda Canada Security Corporation (GardaWorld), and Paladin Risk Solutions.
Over 6,500 passengers are currently being contacted daily by the Government of Canada via live-agents or phone calls to verify their compliance.