Understanding the ArriveCan Controversy: An Explanation

Canada’s Auditor General Karen Hogan didn’t hold back when presenting the findings of her report on the ArriveCan application.

“I’ve been an auditor for a few decades. I’ve been the auditor general for almost four years now. And I would tell you that this is probably some of the worst financial record-keeping that I’ve seen,” Ms. Hogan told reporters during a press conference on Feb. 12.

Ms. Hogan’s long-awaited report on the application revealed that the government agencies—Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and Public Services and Procurement Canada—failed to follow proper management and contracting practices when developing the app. Financial records for the app were also poorly kept, making the precise costs indeterminable.

While the CBSA previously stated that the app’s development cost $54 million, Ms. Hogan estimated it cost $59.5 million. But she noted that the actual figure could have been lower or higher and was based on the available information.

The auditor general’s report came after Procurement Ombudsman Alexander Jeglic’s report, which found that 76% of contractors hired to work on the application did not do any work, and key development documents were often missing.