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Waste · Investigation

ArriveCAN: $80,000Receipt$80,000Cost to build the first ArriveCAN version (Android and iOS), per the CBSAActual · 2020SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentArriveCAN costsWhereCost summary (the $80 thousand initial-version line)PublishedMarch 8, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceNot a budget. The Auditor General found that, with no governance structure from April 2020 to July 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada (the business owner) "did not develop ... budgets and cost estimates" (Report 1, paragraph 1.62, under the heading "No governance structure or budget"). The report does not say the CBSA set no budget for its own work, so do not write "no budget was ever set".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_version_cost.2020 to Build. About $59.5MReceipt$59,500,000Auditor General's estimate of ArriveCAN's total costEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a Glance; Exhibit 1.1PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG could not determine the precise cost because the CBSA's documentation, financial records and controls were so poor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.cost_estimate.2024-02-12 to Finish. Nobody Admits Picking the Firm.

One firm billed $19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12 of it, helped write the requirements for a $25.0MReceipt$25,000,000Value of the May 2022 ArriveCAN contract won by GC Strategies as the only bidderActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.57PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "valued at $25 million, was also awarded to GC Strategies, as it was the only contractor to submit a proposal."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.replacement_contract_value.2022-05 contract, won it as the only bidder, and its partner was later found in contempt of Parliament.

By Grant Levy · October 2026 · Tap any number for its source

Kristian Firth standing at the bar of the House of Commons
Kristian Firth stands at the bar of the House of Commons moments before Speaker Greg Fergus admonishes him for contempt, 17 April 2024.Still: House of Commons, sitting No. 301, 17 April 2024 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

The Auditor General’s estimate

$59.5MReceipt$59,500,000Auditor General's estimate of ArriveCAN's total costEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a Glance; Exhibit 1.1PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG could not determine the precise cost because the CBSA's documentation, financial records and controls were so poor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.cost_estimate.2024-02-12

What ArriveCAN cost, April 2020 to March 2023. An estimate, because the records were too poor for a total.

Billed by GC Strategies

$19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12

The most of any contractor. The Auditor General could not determine who chose the firm.

Versions released

177Receipt177ArriveCAN versions released April 2020 to October 2022, often with little or no testing documentationActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereKey facts and findingsPublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.versions.2020-2022

April 2020 to October 2022, often with little or no testing documentation.

$1,090Receipt$1,090Average daily cost of ArriveCAN's external (contractor) resourcesActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "average per diem cost for the ArriveCAN external resources was $1,090". An AG estimate.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_external.2020-2023 a day.

That’s what an outside contractor’s day on ArriveCAN cost you, on average. A government IT worker in the equivalent job: $675Receipt$675Average daily cost of equivalent IT positions in the Government of CanadaActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "whereas the average daily cost for equivalent IT positions in the Government of Canada was $675"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_government_it.2020-2023 OAG 1.30

The border agency then “approved time sheets that included no details on the work completed” OAG 1.67

The app’s first version cost $80,000Receipt$80,000Cost to build the first ArriveCAN version (Android and iOS), per the CBSAActual · 2020SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentArriveCAN costsWhereCost summary (the $80 thousand initial-version line)PublishedMarch 8, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceNot a budget. The Auditor General found that, with no governance structure from April 2020 to July 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada (the business owner) "did not develop ... budgets and cost estimates" (Report 1, paragraph 1.62, under the heading "No governance structure or budget"). The report does not say the CBSA set no budget for its own work, so do not write "no budget was ever set".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_version_cost.2020, by the agency’s own count. The Auditor General’s estimate of the final bill: about $59.5MReceipt$59,500,000Auditor General's estimate of ArriveCAN's total costEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a Glance; Exhibit 1.1PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG could not determine the precise cost because the CBSA's documentation, financial records and controls were so poor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.cost_estimate.2024-02-12 OAG 1.18

And when she went looking for the official who chose the firm that billed $19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12 of it, her office “could not determine which agency official made the final decision” OAG 1.41

Nobody’s name is on that decision. Yours is on the bill.

The receipts

Nobody was counting.

The first version, by the CBSA’s count: $80,000Receipt$80,000Cost to build the first ArriveCAN version (Android and iOS), per the CBSAActual · 2020SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentArriveCAN costsWhereCost summary (the $80 thousand initial-version line)PublishedMarch 8, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceNot a budget. The Auditor General found that, with no governance structure from April 2020 to July 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada (the business owner) "did not develop ... budgets and cost estimates" (Report 1, paragraph 1.62, under the heading "No governance structure or budget"). The report does not say the CBSA set no budget for its own work, so do not write "no budget was ever set".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_version_cost.2020 The Auditor General’s estimate of the total: $59.5MReceipt$59,500,000Auditor General's estimate of ArriveCAN's total costEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a Glance; Exhibit 1.1PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG could not determine the precise cost because the CBSA's documentation, financial records and controls were so poor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.cost_estimate.2024-02-12Areas to scale
  1. The CBSA’s own table puts ArriveCAN’s first version at $80,000Receipt$80,000Cost to build the first ArriveCAN version (Android and iOS), per the CBSAActual · 2020SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentArriveCAN costsWhereCost summary (the $80 thousand initial-version line)PublishedMarch 8, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceNot a budget. The Auditor General found that, with no governance structure from April 2020 to July 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada (the business owner) "did not develop ... budgets and cost estimates" (Report 1, paragraph 1.62, under the heading "No governance structure or budget"). The report does not say the CBSA set no budget for its own work, so do not write "no budget was ever set".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_version_cost.2020 CBSA, ArriveCAN costs
  2. The Auditor General: “We were unable to determine a precise cost for the ArriveCAN application because of poor documentation and weak controls ...” Her estimate: about $59.5MReceipt$59,500,000Auditor General's estimate of ArriveCAN's total costEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a Glance; Exhibit 1.1PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG could not determine the precise cost because the CBSA's documentation, financial records and controls were so poor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.cost_estimate.2024-02-12 OAG 1.18
  3. Of the contractor invoices her office tested, 18%Receipt18.0%Share of tested contractor invoices without sufficient supporting documentationActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.19PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "18% of invoices submitted by contractors that we tested did not have sufficient supporting documentation"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.invoices_unsupported_share.2024-02-12 “did not have sufficient supporting documentation” OAG 1.19
  4. The CBSA told her $12.2MReceipt$12,200,000Part of the AG's estimate the CBSA said could be unrelated to ArriveCAN; the AG found it was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizationsActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.21PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "officials have expressed concerns that $12.2 million of the $59.5-million estimate could be unrelated to ArriveCAN. We determined, however, that this amount was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizations."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.disputed_by_cbsa.2024-02-12 of the total might not be ArriveCAN at all. She checked: “this amount was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizations” OAG 1.21
  5. From April 2020 to July 2021, the agencies running the app, the Public Health Agency and the CBSA, had no formal agreement between them OAG 1.61

Nobody was counting: not the invoices, not the total, not even who was responsible for what.

One firm, no competition, and no name on the decision.

Selection of GC Strategies · ArriveCAN · April 2020

Process
Non-competitive
Initial value
$2.35MReceipt$2,350,000Initial value of the first ArriveCAN contract, awarded to GC Strategies without competitionActual · 2020-04SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.38PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "GC Strategies obtaining the first ArriveCAN contract, initially valued at $2.35 million in April 2020."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_contract_value.2020-04
Final decision by
Not determined.
“could not determine which agency official made the final decision” · OAG 1.41
  1. April 2020: GC Strategies gets the first ArriveCAN contract through a “non-competitive process”, “initially valued at $2.35MReceipt$2,350,000Initial value of the first ArriveCAN contract, awarded to GC Strategies without competitionActual · 2020-04SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.38PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "GC Strategies obtaining the first ArriveCAN contract, initially valued at $2.35 million in April 2020."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_contract_value.2020-04” OAG 1.38
  2. The proposal the agency actually had on file “was not from GC Strategies” OAG 1.39
  3. The CBSA’s IT branch “did not support the selection of GC Strategies with a sound justification” OAG 1.40
  4. The auditors “could not determine which agency official made the final decision to select GC Strategies”. The requisition was signed by an Executive Director the audit does not name, and signing it “amounts to the exercise of delegated authority” OAG 1.41
  5. Public Services and Procurement Canada, the government’s own buyer, “challenged” the no-bid approach. The CBSA “continued to use a non-competitive approach” OAG 1.51 to 1.52
  6. The non-competitive contracts took up to 63Receipt63Longest time, in calendar days, taken to put one of the 4 non-competitive ArriveCAN contracts in place (unit: days)Actual · 2020SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.54PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "In our view, 63 calendar days would have allowed some form of competitive process". The 4 contracts took "between 12 to 63 calendar days".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.noncompetitive_max_days.2020 calendar days to put in place. The auditors: that much time “would have allowed some form of competitive process” OAG 1.54

The government’s own buyer objected. The agency did it anyway. And no one’s name is on it.

The firm helped write its own contract.

To bid in May 2022, a firm needed

  • 3Receipt3Informatics contracts a bidder needed for the May 2022 contractActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.58PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "bidders were required to have been awarded 3 informatic contracts with the Government of Canada in the last 18 months with a value greater than $10 million"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.bid_requirement_contracts.2022-05 informatics contracts
  • in the last 18Receipt18Window, in months, within which those contracts had to fall (unit: months)Actual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.58PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as bid_requirement_contracts.2022-05All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.bid_requirement_months.2022-05 months
  • each worth more than $10.0MReceipt$10,000,000Value threshold in the bid requirement for the May 2022 contract (contracts "with a value greater than $10 million")Actual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.58PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as bid_requirement_contracts.2022-05. The sentence does not say plainly whether each contract or the three together had to exceed $10 million.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.bid_requirement_contract_value.2022-05

Proposals received: GC Strategies’ alone. Contract: $25.0MReceipt$25,000,000Value of the May 2022 ArriveCAN contract won by GC Strategies as the only bidderActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.57PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "valued at $25 million, was also awarded to GC Strategies, as it was the only contractor to submit a proposal."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.replacement_contract_value.2022-05

GC Strategies “was involved in the development of the requirements” · OAG 1.56 to 1.58
  1. For the follow-on contract in May 2022, “GC Strategies was involved in the development of the requirements” OAG 1.56
  2. The contract was worth $25.0MReceipt$25,000,000Value of the May 2022 ArriveCAN contract won by GC Strategies as the only bidderActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.57PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "valued at $25 million, was also awarded to GC Strategies, as it was the only contractor to submit a proposal."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.replacement_contract_value.2022-05. It “was also awarded to GC Strategies, as it was the only contractor to submit a proposal” OAG 1.57
  3. To bid, a firm needed 3Receipt3Informatics contracts a bidder needed for the May 2022 contractActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.58PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "bidders were required to have been awarded 3 informatic contracts with the Government of Canada in the last 18 months with a value greater than $10 million"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.bid_requirement_contracts.2022-05 informatics contracts in the last 18Receipt18Window, in months, within which those contracts had to fall (unit: months)Actual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.58PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as bid_requirement_contracts.2022-05All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.bid_requirement_months.2022-05 months “with a value greater than $10.0MReceipt$10,000,000Value threshold in the bid requirement for the May 2022 contract (contracts "with a value greater than $10 million")Actual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.58PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as bid_requirement_contracts.2022-05. The sentence does not say plainly whether each contract or the three together had to exceed $10 million.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.bid_requirement_contract_value.2022-05” OAG 1.58
  4. GC Strategies’ partner told MPs: “We have 2Receipt2Employees of GC Strategies, per Kristian Firth's testimonyActual · 2023-11-02SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 83WhereFirth's answer to Michael Barrett's first questionsPublishedNovember 2, 2023CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "We have two employees, but we outsource our finance and legal"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_employees_claim.2023-11-02 employees” OGGO meeting 83, 2 November 2023

May 2022, long past the first scramble, with time to run a real contest: the same firm helped set the bar, and nobody else even bid.

Premium rates, paid on time sheets with no details of the work.

What a day cost: outside contractors against government IT staff, 2020 to 2023

  • Outside contractor$1,090Receipt$1,090Average daily cost of ArriveCAN's external (contractor) resourcesActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "average per diem cost for the ArriveCAN external resources was $1,090". An AG estimate.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_external.2020-2023
  • Government IT staff$675Receipt$675Average daily cost of equivalent IT positions in the Government of CanadaActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "whereas the average daily cost for equivalent IT positions in the Government of Canada was $675"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_government_it.2020-2023

Source: OAG Report 1, paragraph 1.30

  1. Average daily cost of ArriveCAN’s outside resources: $1,090Receipt$1,090Average daily cost of ArriveCAN's external (contractor) resourcesActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "average per diem cost for the ArriveCAN external resources was $1,090". An AG estimate.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_external.2020-2023. Equivalent government IT positions: $675Receipt$675Average daily cost of equivalent IT positions in the Government of CanadaActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "whereas the average daily cost for equivalent IT positions in the Government of Canada was $675"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_government_it.2020-2023 OAG 1.30
  2. Some contractors were billed at a senior rate that required experience they did not have OAG 1.66
  3. The CBSA “approved time sheets that included no details on the work completed” OAG 1.67
  4. On GC Strategies task authorizations worth “approximately $743,000Receipt$743,000Approximate value the AG cites for two GC Strategies ArriveCAN cybersecurity task authorizations, on which some resources were unnamed and unclearedActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.74PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "2 task authorizations for cybersecurity assessments ... valued at approximatively $743,000" (the AG's spelling); some resources "were not identified in the task authorizations and did not have security clearance". The sentence can be read as the value of the task authorizations or of the two contracts.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.unsupported_task_authorizations_value.2024-02-12”, the security work was done by subcontractors who were not named in the task authorizations and “did not have security clearance” OAG 1.74
  5. On those same task authorizations, there was no evidence that 4Receipt4Resources on those task authorizations for which the CBSA had no supporting documentation that they did the workActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.75PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "unable to provide any supporting documentation ... performed by 4 of the 5 resources listed"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.resources_no_proof.2024-02-12 of the 5Receipt5Resources listed on those task authorizationsActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.75PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as resources_no_proof.2024-02-12All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.resources_total.2024-02-12 resources did the work OAG 1.75
  6. When the agency wanted a firm that had no contract of its own, it put that firm’s people on a GC Strategies task authorization. The auditors: “the agency likely paid more for the resources” OAG 1.53
  7. Agency employees were invited to dinners by vendors. The auditors “found no evidence that these employees informed their supervisors as required” OAG 1.42

Top dollar, a middleman the auditors say likely cost more, and time sheets with no details of the work.

And the app itself.

177Receipt177ArriveCAN versions released April 2020 to October 2022, often with little or no testing documentationActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereKey facts and findingsPublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.versions.2020-2022 versions released, April 2020 to October 2022

The 25Receipt25Major ArriveCAN releases (of 177 in all)Actual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.78PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "Of these 177 releases, 25 were considered major"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.releases_major.2020-2022 major releases: 12Receipt12Major releases with no supporting evidence the CBSA completed user testingActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.79PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "For 12 out of the 25 major releases, there was no supporting evidence that the Canada Border Services Agency completed user testing."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.releases_untested.2020-2022 with no evidence of user testing

OAG 1.78 to 1.79
  1. 177Receipt177ArriveCAN versions released April 2020 to October 2022, often with little or no testing documentationActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereKey facts and findingsPublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.versions.2020-2022 versions, between April 2020 and October 2022 OAG 1.78
  2. For 12Receipt12Major releases with no supporting evidence the CBSA completed user testingActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.79PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "For 12 out of the 25 major releases, there was no supporting evidence that the Canada Border Services Agency completed user testing."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.releases_untested.2020-2022 of the 25Receipt25Major ArriveCAN releases (of 177 in all)Actual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.78PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "Of these 177 releases, 25 were considered major"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.releases_major.2020-2022 major releases, “there was no supporting evidence that the Canada Border Services Agency completed user testing” OAG 1.79
  3. Release 3.0, launched 28 June 2022, “wrongly instructed more than 10,000Receipt10,000Travellers wrongly instructed to quarantine after one June 2022 ArriveCAN update (more than 10,000)Actual · 2022-06SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.80; Key facts and findingsPublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceParagraph 1.80 reads "more than 10,000 iOS users who entered Canada between 28 June and 20 July 2022"; the stored value is the floor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.wrong_quarantine_orders.2022-06 iOS users” to quarantine for 14Receipt14Days of quarantine release 3.0 wrongly ordered (unit: days)Actual · 2022-06SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.80PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "wrongly instructed more than 10,000 iOS users who entered Canada between 28 June and 20 July 2022 to quarantine for 14 days"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.wrong_quarantine_days.2022-06 days OAG 1.80

The travellers did the testing.

What the firm was paid, everywhere.

What GC Strategies got: ArriveCAN against every federal contract

  • ArriveCAN, billed (OAG estimate)$19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12
  • All federal contracts, 2015 to 2024, paid$64.5MReceipt$64,500,000Paid to GC Strategies on federal professional services contracts, all departmentsActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "about $64.5 million was ultimately paid out". Covers every federal organization, 13 April 2015 to 31 March 2024; never add to the $59.5M or the $107.7M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_paid_all.2015-2024

Source: OAG 2024 Report 1, Exhibit 1.1; OAG 2025 Report 4

  1. The Auditor General’s second audit, in June 2025, counted 106Receipt106Federal professional services contracts to GC StrategiesActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "federal organizations awarded 106 professional services contracts to GCStrategies Inc."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contracts_all.2015-2024 federal contracts to GC Strategies from April 2015 to March 2024, and “about $64.5MReceipt$64,500,000Paid to GC Strategies on federal professional services contracts, all departmentsActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "about $64.5 million was ultimately paid out". Covers every federal organization, 13 April 2015 to 31 March 2024; never add to the $59.5M or the $107.7M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_paid_all.2015-2024 was ultimately paid out” OAG 2025 Report 4
  2. The Comptroller General told MPs on 6 March 2024 the government had “118Receipt118Federal contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal, per the Comptroller GeneralActual · 2011-01-01/2024-02-16SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Public AccountsDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 106WhereOpening statement of the Comptroller General of Canada (Roch Huppé, Treasury Board Secretariat)PublishedMarch 6, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "118 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7 million"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contracts_cg.2011-2024 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7MReceipt$107,700,000Reported value of federal contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal (contract value, not money paid)Actual · 2011-01-01/2024-02-16SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Public AccountsDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 106WhereOpening statement of the Comptroller General of Canada (Roch Huppé, Treasury Board Secretariat)PublishedMarch 6, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "118 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7 million". The Comptroller General said departments reported them between 1 January 2011 and 16 February 2024.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contract_value_cg.2011-2024” since 2011. That is reported contract value for GC Strategies and Coredal, not money paid PACP meeting 106

ArriveCAN wasn’t a one-off for this firm: 106Receipt106Federal professional services contracts to GC StrategiesActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "federal organizations awarded 106 professional services contracts to GCStrategies Inc."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contracts_all.2015-2024 federal contracts, and you paid the invoices.

Who answered for it.

Kristian Firth looking down at the bar of the House of Commons
Kristian Firth looks down at the bar of the House of Commons during questioning by MPs, 17 April 2024.Still: House of Commons, sitting No. 301, 17 April 2024 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.
  1. The House of Commons found Kristian Firth in contempt on 8 April 2024. At the bar, the Speaker told him why: “for your refusal to answer certain questions and for prevaricating in your answers to other questions” Journals No. 295; Hansard No. 301, p. 22497
  2. He stonewalled the committee. Its report: he “repeatedly refused to answer questions, citing a potential investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police” OGGO Report 17
  3. On 17 April 2024 he stood at the bar of the House. The Speaker: “on behalf of the House of Commons, I admonish you.” The last such summons, Hansard records, “dates back to 1913Receipt1913Year of the previous such summons to the bar of the House, per the SpeakerActual · 2024-04-17SourceHouse of CommonsDocumentDebates (Hansard), No. 301, 17 April 2024WherePage 22496 (the Speaker, before Mr. Firth's appearance at the bar)PublishedApril 17, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: the Speaker: "the last time an individual was summoned to the bar of the House to answer questions dates back to 1913"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.bar_summons_previous.1913” Hansard No. 301, pp. 22496 to 22497
  4. At the bar, asked about the RCMP: “a search warrant, not an arrest warrant ... surrounding the Botler allegations” Hansard No. 301, p. 22499
  5. Also at the bar: “We have not been asked to pay any money back” Hansard No. 301, p. 22499. In 2025 Ottawa sued the firm for $198,000Receipt$198,000Amount the Government of Canada is seeking from GC Strategies in its 2025 lawsuit over billingActual · 2025-03SourceThe Globe and Mail (reporting)DocumentOttawa alleges IT subcontractor billed for more than 24 hours of work in a dayWhereArticle body ('The government is seeking $198,000 from GCStrategies')PublishedMarch 7, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceNews reporting of the government's notice of action: "The government is seeking $198,000 from GCStrategies, accusing the company of breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment." The allegations have not been tested in court. On 9 October 2025 the procurement department told the Public Accounts committee that the amount tied to GC Strategies was the only one still to be collected.All sourcesaccountability.gc_strategies.lawsuit_claim.2025-03, alleging breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment, none of it tested in court Globe and Mail, 7 March 2025. In October 2025 the procurement department told MPs the amount tied to GC Strategies was the only one it still had to collect from the overbilling it had announced Public Accounts committee, 45th Parliament, meeting 9, 9 October 2025
  6. GC Strategies is “ineligible from entering into contracts or real property agreements with the Government of Canada for 7Receipt7Years GC Strategies is barred from federal contracts and real property agreements under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyActual · 2025-06-06SourcePublic Services and Procurement CanadaDocumentGC Strategies Inc. determined to be ineligible under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyWhereNews release (ineligibility period, effective June 6, 2025)PublishedJune 6, 2025CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_ban_years.2025-06-06 years,” from 6 June 2025 PSPC, 6 June 2025
  7. The RCMP told MPs on 18 June 2024: “There is one investigation specific to ArriveCAN.” And: “If a charge had been laid, that would have been made public.” That is the RCMP’s latest public word we found, checked on 5 October 2026. No charge had been laid, and we found none since. Public Accounts committee meeting 132
  8. The Auditor General’s verdict on the whole thing: the CBSA “did not manage all aspects of the ArriveCAN application with due regard to value for money”. Across the CBSA, the Public Health Agency and Public Services and Procurement Canada, they “repeatedly failed to follow good management practices” OAG 1.82; OAG, At a Glance

The zeros

Name on the decision to pick GC Strategies: none, the Auditor General found.

Money asked back, by Firth’s account at the bar in April 2024: none.

Charges, as of the RCMP’s last public word in June 2024: none.

Their words

Quoted in full as the source has them, with the date.

John Ossowski, CBSA President through the launch, to the government operations committee, 18 January 2024

“Speed was of the essence as airports were slowing down with the paper-based process and provinces were demanding better data.”

“No one could have envisioned how many versions and releases of the app there would be, nor its cost.”

“I relied on my officials to deal with the procurement details.”

Minh Doan, CBSA Vice-President and Chief Information Officer at the time, to the same committee, 14 November 2023

“We launched the first version of ArriveCAN on April 29. That is incredibly fast by private sector standards.”

And on the choice of firm: “I did not choose or direct the selection of GC Strategies.”

Cameron MacDonald, then a senior CBSA IT executive, 22 February 2024

“I did not make the selection of GC Strategies.”

He called the CBSA’s allegations against him “nothing more than a collection of baseless accusations”, and said the decision lay with “Minh Doan and the then CBSA president, Mr. Ossowski”. Doan denies it. Ossowski says he relied on his officials, and has “no recollection of being asked for my opinion on Deloitte or any other potential vendor”.

Antonio Utano, the same day

“suspended without pay based on unsubstantiated allegations”, and that they were not responsible for “signing contracts, as we did not have contracting authority.”

Erin O’Gorman, CBSA President from 2022, at the committee on 18 January 2024

Quoting a preliminary statement from the CBSA’s internal investigation: “a pattern of persistent collaboration between certain officials and GC Strategies.” In the same testimony: “A preliminary statement of fact is not a conclusion.” On the suspensions: “Their deputy heads took that action.”

Kristian Firth, GC Strategies, to the committee, 13 March 2024

“... virtually everything reported about my company in the media ... has been false.”

“The amounts paid to GC Strategies are not the astronomical amounts being claimed.”

Asked if the Auditor General’s report was incorrect: “Yes, it is.” Asked about meetings with officials: “It was not a lie. I was just unaware.”

Darren Anthony, his partner, 14 March 2024

On the Auditor General’s report: “It’s incorrect.”

Dominic Rochon, then Chief Information Officer of Canada, 6 March 2024

“it was a complex system that was produced on an emergency basis.”

Kristian Firth on a video link, mid-sentence
Kristian Firth testifying by video link before the House government operations committee, 2 November 2023.Still: House of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, meeting 83, 2 November 2023 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

Read those together. The president relied on his officials. MacDonald and Utano say the president and the CIO decided. The CIO says he didn’t. The firm says the auditor is wrong. And the Auditor General, with the agency’s own files, couldn’t find a name.

The timeline

  1. April 2020First contract to GC Strategies, non-competitive, initially $2.35MReceipt$2,350,000Initial value of the first ArriveCAN contract, awarded to GC Strategies without competitionActual · 2020-04SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.38PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "GC Strategies obtaining the first ArriveCAN contract, initially valued at $2.35 million in April 2020."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_contract_value.2020-04 OAG 1.38
  2. 29 April 2020ArriveCAN launches OAG 1.8
  3. Apr 2020 to Jul 2021No formal agreement between the Public Health Agency and the CBSA OAG 1.61
  4. 1 April 2022Ownership of the app moves to the CBSA OAG 1.11
  5. May 2022$25.0MReceipt$25,000,000Value of the May 2022 ArriveCAN contract won by GC Strategies as the only bidderActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.57PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "valued at $25 million, was also awarded to GC Strategies, as it was the only contractor to submit a proposal."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.replacement_contract_value.2022-05 contract to GC Strategies, the only bidder, on requirements it helped write OAG 1.56 to 1.58
  6. 28 June 2022Release 3.0 wrongly tells more than 10,000Receipt10,000Travellers wrongly instructed to quarantine after one June 2022 ArriveCAN update (more than 10,000)Actual · 2022-06SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.80; Key facts and findingsPublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceParagraph 1.80 reads "more than 10,000 iOS users who entered Canada between 28 June and 20 July 2022"; the stored value is the floor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.wrong_quarantine_orders.2022-06 iOS users to quarantine OAG 1.80
  7. 1 October 2022Most COVID-19 entry restrictions removed OAG 1.9
  8. 2 November 2022The House asks the Auditor General to audit ArriveCAN OAG 1.10
  9. 25 November 2022CBSA opens an administrative investigation (the Botler allegations) CBSA
  10. 31 January 2023CBSA refers the Botler matter to the RCMP in writing CBSA
  11. May 2023CBSA’s Slack messages “permanently deleted” OIC 2026
  12. 2 November 2023Firth testifies: “We have 2Receipt2Employees of GC Strategies, per Kristian Firth's testimonyActual · 2023-11-02SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 83WhereFirth's answer to Michael Barrett's first questionsPublishedNovember 2, 2023CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "We have two employees, but we outsource our finance and legal"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_employees_claim.2023-11-02 employees” OGGO 83
  13. 3 November 2023CBSA suspends its GC Strategies contract CBSA
  14. 18 January 2024O’Gorman quotes the CBSA investigation’s preliminary statement: “a pattern of persistent collaboration” OGGO 98
  15. 12 February 2024The Auditor General’s report is tabled OAG
  16. 14 February 2024GC Strategies suspended from PSPC business PSPC
  17. 22 February 2024MacDonald and Utano testify; both deny choosing the firm OGGO 105
  18. 1 March 2024GC Strategies’ and Dalian’s security status suspended PSPC
  19. 6 March 2024Comptroller General: 118Receipt118Federal contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal, per the Comptroller GeneralActual · 2011-01-01/2024-02-16SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Public AccountsDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 106WhereOpening statement of the Comptroller General of Canada (Roch Huppé, Treasury Board Secretariat)PublishedMarch 6, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "118 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7 million"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contracts_cg.2011-2024 contracts, $107.7MReceipt$107,700,000Reported value of federal contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal (contract value, not money paid)Actual · 2011-01-01/2024-02-16SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Public AccountsDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 106WhereOpening statement of the Comptroller General of Canada (Roch Huppé, Treasury Board Secretariat)PublishedMarch 6, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "118 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7 million". The Comptroller General said departments reported them between 1 January 2011 and 16 February 2024.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contract_value_cg.2011-2024 since 2011 PACP 106
  20. 13 March 2024Firth testifies; the committee later reports he “repeatedly refused to answer questions” OGGO 108
  21. 8 April 2024The House finds Firth in contempt Journals No. 295
  22. 17 April 2024Firth admonished at the bar of the House Hansard No. 301
  23. 18 June 2024RCMP: “one investigation specific to ArriveCAN”; no charge PACP 132
  24. 6 June 2025GC Strategies barred from federal contracts for 7Receipt7Years GC Strategies is barred from federal contracts and real property agreements under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyActual · 2025-06-06SourcePublic Services and Procurement CanadaDocumentGC Strategies Inc. determined to be ineligible under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyWhereNews release (ineligibility period, effective June 6, 2025)PublishedJune 6, 2025CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_ban_years.2025-06-06 years PSPC
  25. 10 June 2025Second audit: $64.5MReceipt$64,500,000Paid to GC Strategies on federal professional services contracts, all departmentsActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "about $64.5 million was ultimately paid out". Covers every federal organization, 13 April 2015 to 31 March 2024; never add to the $59.5M or the $107.7M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_paid_all.2015-2024 paid to GC Strategies across government OAG 2025 Report 4
  26. 12 March 2026Privacy Commissioner: the ArriveCAN privacy complaint is “not well-founded” OPC
  27. April 2026Federal Court dismisses MacDonald’s and Utano’s judicial reviews Globe and Mail
  28. 28 May 2026Information Commissioner: the access complaint against the CBSA is “well founded” OIC

The people

Each is here for a role in the matter. Allegations are marked as allegations, and each person’s own answer sits beside them.

Kristian Firth looking down at the bar of the House of Commons
Kristian Firth looks down at the bar of the House of Commons during questioning by MPs, 17 April 2024.Still: House of Commons, sitting No. 301, 17 April 2024 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

Kristian Firth

Partner, GC Strategies

Role
His firm billed $19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12 of ArriveCAN, the most of any contractor OAG Exhibit 1.1, and helped write the requirements for the $25.0MReceipt$25,000,000Value of the May 2022 ArriveCAN contract won by GC Strategies as the only bidderActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.57PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "valued at $25 million, was also awarded to GC Strategies, as it was the only contractor to submit a proposal."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.replacement_contract_value.2022-05 contract it then won alone OAG 1.56 to 1.57
What he said
“virtually everything reported about my company in the media ... has been false”; the report is incorrect; his firm invoiced “approximately $11.0MReceipt$11,000,000What Kristian Firth told MPs GC Strategies invoiced for building ArriveCAN (his claim)Estimate · 2024-03-13SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 108WherePage 3PublishedMarch 13, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "it was approximately $11 million. That was the application build." His claim; not reconciled with the AG's $19.1M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.firth_invoiced_claim.2024-03” for the build, and the Auditor General’s figure includes pandemic contracts that were not solely ArriveCAN OGGO 108, p. 3. His gross margin, he said, was “approximately 21%Receipt21.0%GC Strategies' gross margin across its federal contracts, per FirthEstimate · 2024-03-13SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 108WherePage 5PublishedMarch 13, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "approximately 21% is our gross margin for all 65 contracts"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.firth_margin_claim.2024-03” across all 65Receipt65Contracts Firth's margin figure coversActual · 2024-03-13SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 108WherePage 5PublishedMarch 13, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as firth_margin_claim.2024-03All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.firth_margin_contracts_claim.2024-03 contracts OGGO 108, p. 5
Since
Found in contempt by the House, 8 April 2024; admonished at the bar, 17 April 2024. His firm suspended by the CBSA (3 November 2023) and PSPC (14 February 2024), then barred for 7Receipt7Years GC Strategies is barred from federal contracts and real property agreements under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyActual · 2025-06-06SourcePublic Services and Procurement CanadaDocumentGC Strategies Inc. determined to be ineligible under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyWhereNews release (ineligibility period, effective June 6, 2025)PublishedJune 6, 2025CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_ban_years.2025-06-06 years from 6 June 2025. No charge, as of the RCMP’s June 2024 statement.
Darren Anthony on a video link, eyes down
Darren Anthony testifying by video link before the House government operations committee, 14 March 2024.Still: House of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, meeting 109, 14 March 2024 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

Darren Anthony

Partner, GC Strategies

Role
The firm’s other partner; testified to the committee on 14 March 2024.
What he said
The Auditor General’s report is “incorrect” OGGO 109
Since
The same firm-level suspensions and ban. No charge, as of the RCMP’s June 2024 statement.
Minh Doan at the committee table, mid-sentence
Minh Doan testifying before the House government operations committee, 14 November 2023.Still: House of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, meeting 86, 14 November 2023 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

Minh Doan

CBSA Vice-President and Chief Information Officer during the build

Role
The CBSA’s IT chief while the contracts were let. MacDonald and Utano testified that the decision to pick GC Strategies was his and the president’s. The Auditor General could not say who decided OAG 1.41
What he said
“I did not choose or direct the selection of GC Strategies.”
Since
Chief Technology Officer of the Government of Canada, at the Treasury Board Secretariat, the title he testified under in November 2023. The government’s employee directory still listed him under it on 5 October 2026 GEDS, 5 October 2026. No sanction found. The Information Commissioner, ruling on the CBSA’s lost Slack records, found no offence and wrote: “I am satisfied that Doan himself made reasonable efforts to recover the corrupted records.” 2026 OIC 46

John Ossowski

CBSA President, 2020 to 2022

Role
Head of the agency that ran the contracts.
What he said
“I relied on my officials to deal with the procurement details.”
Since
Retired. No finding against him found. MacDonald named him alongside Doan; Ossowski says he has “no recollection of being asked for my opinion on Deloitte or any other potential vendor”.
Cameron MacDonald at the committee table, hand at his earpiece
Cameron MacDonald testifying before the House government operations committee, 22 February 2024.Still: House of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, meeting 105, 22 February 2024 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

Cameron MacDonald

Then a senior CBSA IT executive; Assistant Deputy Minister at Health Canada when he testified

Role
In the CBSA’s IT leadership when the first contracts were let; left CBSA IT around May 2021.
The CBSA alleges
Its internal investigation, in a preliminary statement, described “a pattern of persistent collaboration between certain officials and GC Strategies.” The CBSA’s findings are not published.
His side
“nothing more than a collection of baseless accusations.” He told MPs a vendor’s package held “little vials of whisky,” received “after contracts were in place,” and that he disclosed dinners with vendors to his supervisor.
Since
Suspended without pay in January 2024 by his own department, not by the CBSA (“Their deputy heads took that action,” O’Gorman said). His pay was later restored (Globe and Mail, 20 April 2026). The Federal Court dismissed his judicial review in April 2026; the judge wrote that her decision “does not speak to the merits of the CBSA’s allegations.” The Globe reported in May 2026 that he had appealed.
Antonio Utano at the committee table, mid-answer
Antonio Utano testifying before the House government operations committee, 22 February 2024.Still: House of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, meeting 105, 22 February 2024 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

Antonio Utano

Acting Director General at the CBSA from May 2021; Director General at the CRA when he testified

Role
Role and allegation: as MacDonald.
His side
“suspended without pay based on unsubstantiated allegations”; not responsible for “signing contracts, as we did not have contracting authority.”
Since
As MacDonald: suspension by his department, pay later restored, Federal Court review dismissed in April 2026, appeal reported in May 2026.
Erin O’Gorman at the committee table while a question is put to her
CBSA president Erin O’Gorman testifying before the House government operations committee, 18 January 2024.Still: House of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, meeting 98, 18 January 2024 (ParlVU). Reproduced under the Speaker’s Permission; not an official reproduction.

Erin O’Gorman

CBSA President from 2022

Role
Ordered the internal investigation; testified on it.
What she said
The “pattern” line above, and that “a preliminary statement of fact is not a conclusion.”

Dalian Enterprises

Contractor

Role
Tied for second on Exhibit 1.1 at $7.9MReceipt$7,900,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to Dalian Enterprises Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Dalian Enterprises Inc. 7.9" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.dalian.2024-02-12 OAG Exhibit 1.1. Dalian’s security status was suspended on 1 March 2024.

The Executive Director

Signed the requisition

Role
The Executive Director who signed the requisition for the first contract is not named in the audit OAG 1.41, and we do not name anyone in that seat.

What it cost, and what each number counts

Four bodies have put numbers on ArriveCAN. They count different things, and none of them is the same as another.

Who was paid for ArriveCAN, to 31 March 2023 (Auditor General’s estimate)

  • GC Strategies$19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12
  • Dalian Enterprises$7.9MReceipt$7,900,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to Dalian Enterprises Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Dalian Enterprises Inc. 7.9" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.dalian.2024-02-12
  • Amazon Web Services$7.9MReceipt$7,900,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to Amazon Web Services, Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Amazon Web Services, Inc. 7.9" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_aws.2024-02-12
  • Microsoft Canada$3.8MReceipt$3,800,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to Microsoft Canada Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Microsoft Canada Inc. 3.8" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_microsoft.2024-02-12
  • TEKsystems$3.2MReceipt$3,200,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to TEKsystems, Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "TEKsystems, Inc. 3.2" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_teksystems.2024-02-12
  • Donna Cona$3.0MReceipt$3,000,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to Donna Cona Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Donna Cona Inc. 3.0" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_donna_cona.2024-02-12
  • BDO Canada$2.9MReceipt$2,900,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to BDO Canada LLPEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "BDO Canada LLP 2.9" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_bdo.2024-02-12
  • MGIS$2.4MReceipt$2,400,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to MGIS Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "MGIS Inc. 2.4" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_mgis.2024-02-12
  • 49 Solutions$1.1MReceipt$1,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to 49 SolutionsEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "49 Solutions 1.1" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_49_solutions.2024-02-12
  • Makwa / TPG$1.1MReceipt$1,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to Makwa Resourcing Inc. / TPG Technology Consulting Ltd.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Makwa Resourcing Inc. / TPG Technology Consulting Ltd. 1.1" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_makwa_tpg.2024-02-12
  • Advanced Chippewa$1.0MReceipt$1,000,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to Advanced Chippewa Technologies Inc.Estimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Advanced Chippewa Technologies Inc. 1.0" ($ millions). Estimated costs attributable to ArriveCAN at 31 March 2023. Contractor names are grouped by the AG where the CBSA system used other names.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_advanced_chippewa.2024-02-12
  • 21 others$6.1MReceipt$6,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to 21 other contractors, each under $1 millionEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: Exhibit 1.1 row "Other 6.1" ($ millions); note 2: "includes 21 other contractors with total costs that are each less than $1 million".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.exhibit_other.2024-02-12

Source: OAG Report 1, Exhibit 1.1Receipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12

NumberWhat it countsWho says so
$80,000Receipt$80,000Cost to build the first ArriveCAN version (Android and iOS), per the CBSAActual · 2020SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentArriveCAN costsWhereCost summary (the $80 thousand initial-version line)PublishedMarch 8, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceNot a budget. The Auditor General found that, with no governance structure from April 2020 to July 2021, the Public Health Agency of Canada (the business owner) "did not develop ... budgets and cost estimates" (Report 1, paragraph 1.62, under the heading "No governance structure or budget"). The report does not say the CBSA set no budget for its own work, so do not write "no budget was ever set".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.first_version_cost.2020The first version only (Android and iOS). Not a budget.CBSA cost table
about $59.5MReceipt$59,500,000Auditor General's estimate of ArriveCAN's total costEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a Glance; Exhibit 1.1PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG could not determine the precise cost because the CBSA's documentation, financial records and controls were so poor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.cost_estimate.2024-02-12The Auditor General’s estimate of the app’s cost, April 2020 to March 2023. An estimate, because the records were too poor for an exact figure. It includes the $12.2MReceipt$12,200,000Part of the AG's estimate the CBSA said could be unrelated to ArriveCAN; the AG found it was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizationsActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.21PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "officials have expressed concerns that $12.2 million of the $59.5-million estimate could be unrelated to ArriveCAN. We determined, however, that this amount was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizations."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.disputed_by_cbsa.2024-02-12 the CBSA disputes, which she found was billed on ArriveCAN task authorizations.OAG 1.18, 1.21
$53.3MReceipt$53,300,000AG estimate: ArriveCAN's pandemic-response health componentEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.24PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "$53.3 million—pandemic‑response health component"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.health_component.2020-2023 and $6.2MReceipt$6,200,000AG estimate: ArriveCAN's customs and immigration declaration formEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.24PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "$6.2 million—customs and immigration declaration form"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.declaration_component.2020-2023Her split: the pandemic health part, and the customs and immigration declaration that is still in use.OAG 1.24
$55.0MReceipt$55,000,000CBSA's own total for border public health measures (wider than the app; includes a call centre)Actual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentIssue notes: Standing Committee on Public Accounts—Report 1, ArriveCAN (May 14, 2024)WhereSection 'ArriveCAN costs', 'Total' row (forecast 54, actual 55, $ millions)PublishedMay 14, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: table "Border public health measures costs: From April 1, 2020 through to March 31, 2023 (in millions $)", Total 54 (forecast), 55 (actual). The rows include the Service Canada call centre.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.cbsa_border_measures_actual.2020-2023The CBSA’s own total for “border public health measures,” wider than the app (it includes a call centre).CBSA cost note
$19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12The ArriveCAN costs the Auditor General attributes to GC Strategies. Firth says his firm invoiced about $11.0MReceipt$11,000,000What Kristian Firth told MPs GC Strategies invoiced for building ArriveCAN (his claim)Estimate · 2024-03-13SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 108WherePage 3PublishedMarch 13, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "it was approximately $11 million. That was the application build." His claim; not reconciled with the AG's $19.1M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.firth_invoiced_claim.2024-03 for the build. The two are not reconciled.OAG Exhibit 1.1; OGGO 108
$64.5MReceipt$64,500,000Paid to GC Strategies on federal professional services contracts, all departmentsActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "about $64.5 million was ultimately paid out". Covers every federal organization, 13 April 2015 to 31 March 2024; never add to the $59.5M or the $107.7M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_paid_all.2015-2024Paid to GC Strategies on 106Receipt106Federal professional services contracts to GC StrategiesActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "federal organizations awarded 106 professional services contracts to GCStrategies Inc."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contracts_all.2015-2024 contracts across government, April 2015 to March 2024.OAG 2025 Report 4
$107.7MReceipt$107,700,000Reported value of federal contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal (contract value, not money paid)Actual · 2011-01-01/2024-02-16SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Public AccountsDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 106WhereOpening statement of the Comptroller General of Canada (Roch Huppé, Treasury Board Secretariat)PublishedMarch 6, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "118 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7 million". The Comptroller General said departments reported them between 1 January 2011 and 16 February 2024.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contract_value_cg.2011-2024Reported contract value of 118Receipt118Federal contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal, per the Comptroller GeneralActual · 2011-01-01/2024-02-16SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Public AccountsDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 106WhereOpening statement of the Comptroller General of Canada (Roch Huppé, Treasury Board Secretariat)PublishedMarch 6, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "118 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7 million"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contracts_cg.2011-2024 contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal since 2011. Value awarded, not money paid.Comptroller General, PACP 106

Don’t add them up. The $64.5MReceipt$64,500,000Paid to GC Strategies on federal professional services contracts, all departmentsActual · 2015-04/2024-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 4—Professional Services Contracts with GCStrategies Inc. (2025 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereAt a glancePublishedJune 10, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "about $64.5 million was ultimately paid out". Covers every federal organization, 13 April 2015 to 31 March 2024; never add to the $59.5M or the $107.7M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_paid_all.2015-2024 includes ArriveCAN work, and the $107.7MReceipt$107,700,000Reported value of federal contracts with GC Strategies and Coredal (contract value, not money paid)Actual · 2011-01-01/2024-02-16SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Public AccountsDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 106WhereOpening statement of the Comptroller General of Canada (Roch Huppé, Treasury Board Secretariat)PublishedMarch 6, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "118 contracts with that supplier, totalling $107.7 million". The Comptroller General said departments reported them between 1 January 2011 and 16 February 2024.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_contract_value_cg.2011-2024 is contract value, not spending. Each is the right number for its own question.

Their best case

Put as they would put it.

  1. It was a pandemic. Airports were jammed with paper forms and the provinces wanted data. “Speed was of the essence” (Ossowski). The Treasury Board “encouraged” departments to focus on results, “given the urgency created by the pandemic” OAG 1.33. The first version launched within weeks.
  2. The government didn’t have the people. The CBSA “did not have sufficient internal capacity with the skills needed” OAG 1.28, so it had to buy them.
  3. It worked. 18.0MReceipt18,000,000ArriveCAN downloads, per the CBSAActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentIssue notes: Standing Committee on Public Accounts—Report 1, ArriveCAN (May 14, 2024)WhereSection 'ArriveCAN costs', row 'Data storage and cloud services'PublishedMay 14, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "18 million downloads, 60 million travellers over 2.5 years."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.downloads.2020-2022 downloads, 60.0MReceipt60,000,000Travellers who used ArriveCAN, per the CBSAActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceCanada Border Services AgencyDocumentIssue notes: Standing Committee on Public Accounts—Report 1, ArriveCAN (May 14, 2024)WhereSection 'ArriveCAN costs', row 'Data storage and cloud services'PublishedMay 14, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as downloads.2020-2022All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.travellers.2020-2022 travellers, the CBSA says. Its information was better and faster than paper OAG 1.6. “The enduring benefit of the ArriveCAN application is that it remains available for customs and immigration declarations” OAG
  4. The numbers are inflated. The CBSA says $12.2MReceipt$12,200,000Part of the AG's estimate the CBSA said could be unrelated to ArriveCAN; the AG found it was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizationsActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.21PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "officials have expressed concerns that $12.2 million of the $59.5-million estimate could be unrelated to ArriveCAN. We determined, however, that this amount was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizations."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.disputed_by_cbsa.2024-02-12 of the estimate may not be ArriveCAN OAG 1.21. Firth says his firm’s share was about $11.0MReceipt$11,000,000What Kristian Firth told MPs GC Strategies invoiced for building ArriveCAN (his claim)Estimate · 2024-03-13SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 108WherePage 3PublishedMarch 13, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "it was approximately $11 million. That was the application build." His claim; not reconciled with the AG's $19.1M.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.firth_invoiced_claim.2024-03, not $19.1MReceipt$19,100,000Estimated ArriveCAN costs attributable to GC StrategiesEstimate · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereExhibit 1.1 (main contractors, at 31 March 2023)PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceThe AG also found GC Strategies helped develop the requirements for the competitive contract it later won.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies.2024-02-12.
  5. The people deny it. MacDonald, Utano and Doan each say they did not choose the firm. MacDonald calls the allegations “baseless,” Utano “unsubstantiated,” their pay was restored, and the CBSA’s findings remain preliminary and unpublished.
  6. Your data was safe. The Privacy Commissioner found the complaint “not well-founded,” with “no evidence” that personal information collected through ArriveCAN was “used or disclosed in contravention of the Act” OPC, 12 March 2026

Why it still fails

  1. The pandemic explains April 2020. It doesn’t explain May 2022. By then, with time to run a real contest, the $25.0MReceipt$25,000,000Value of the May 2022 ArriveCAN contract won by GC Strategies as the only bidderActual · 2022-05SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.57PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "valued at $25 million, was also awarded to GC Strategies, as it was the only contractor to submit a proposal."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.replacement_contract_value.2022-05 contract went out on requirements GC Strategies helped write, and GC Strategies was the only bidder OAG 1.56 to 1.57. PSPC challenged the no-bid approach and the CBSA kept using it OAG 1.51 to 1.52. Contracts that took up to 63Receipt63Longest time, in calendar days, taken to put one of the 4 non-competitive ArriveCAN contracts in place (unit: days)Actual · 2020SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.54PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "In our view, 63 calendar days would have allowed some form of competitive process". The 4 contracts took "between 12 to 63 calendar days".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.noncompetitive_max_days.2020 days “would have allowed some form of competitive process” OAG 1.54
  2. No in-house skills explains hiring help. It doesn’t explain the price or the paperwork. $1,090Receipt$1,090Average daily cost of ArriveCAN's external (contractor) resourcesActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "average per diem cost for the ArriveCAN external resources was $1,090". An AG estimate.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_external.2020-2023 a day against $675Receipt$675Average daily cost of equivalent IT positions in the Government of CanadaActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.30PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "whereas the average daily cost for equivalent IT positions in the Government of Canada was $675"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.per_diem_government_it.2020-2023, on time sheets with “no details on the work completed” OAG 1.30, 1.67, and no proof that 4Receipt4Resources on those task authorizations for which the CBSA had no supporting documentation that they did the workActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.75PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "unable to provide any supporting documentation ... performed by 4 of the 5 resources listed"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.resources_no_proof.2024-02-12 of 5Receipt5Resources listed on those task authorizationsActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.75PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: as resources_no_proof.2024-02-12All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.resources_total.2024-02-12 resources did the work OAG 1.75
  3. It worked. The auditor still found it was not managed “with due regard to value for money” OAG 1.82. And a working app doesn’t need 177Receipt177ArriveCAN versions released April 2020 to October 2022, often with little or no testing documentationActual · 2020-04/2022-10SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereKey facts and findingsPublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.versions.2020-2022 versions, or a release that instructed more than 10,000Receipt10,000Travellers wrongly instructed to quarantine after one June 2022 ArriveCAN update (more than 10,000)Actual · 2022-06SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.80; Key facts and findingsPublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceParagraph 1.80 reads "more than 10,000 iOS users who entered Canada between 28 June and 20 July 2022"; the stored value is the floor.All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.wrong_quarantine_orders.2022-06 people to quarantine by mistake OAG 1.78, 1.80
  4. The disputed money was checked. The Auditor General looked at the CBSA’s $12.2MReceipt$12,200,000Part of the AG's estimate the CBSA said could be unrelated to ArriveCAN; the AG found it was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizationsActual · 2020-04/2023-03SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 1—ArriveCAN (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereParagraph 1.21PublishedFebruary 12, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "officials have expressed concerns that $12.2 million of the $59.5-million estimate could be unrelated to ArriveCAN. We determined, however, that this amount was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizations."All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.disputed_by_cbsa.2024-02-12 objection and found it “was incurred under ArriveCAN task authorizations” OAG 1.21. Firth’s figure and hers are not reconciled, and we show both. Even his number is a large sum for a firm whose partner told MPs it had 2Receipt2Employees of GC Strategies, per Kristian Firth's testimonyActual · 2023-11-02SourceHouse of Commons, Standing Committee on Government Operations and EstimatesDocumentEvidence, meeting No. 83WhereFirth's answer to Michael Barrett's first questionsPublishedNovember 2, 2023CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "We have two employees, but we outsource our finance and legal"All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_employees_claim.2023-11-02 employees OGGO 83
  5. The denials are the finding. Each official named as the decider denies it or points to someone else. The auditor, with the agency’s own files, “could not determine which agency official made the final decision” OAG 1.41. Someone decided. No name is on it, so no one answers for it.
  6. The privacy finding stands, and we say so. It also found that one of the 13 contractors it checked kept working for the CBSA “for over 18Receipt18Months one ArriveCAN contractor worked without a valid security clearance (more than) (unit: months)Actual · 2026-03-12SourceOffice of the Privacy Commissioner of CanadaDocumentInvestigation into the contracting practices of the Canada Border Services Agency related to the development of the ArriveCAN application (special report to Parliament)WhereAnalysis, Sub-issue 2 (security requirements)PublishedMarch 12, 2026CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "this contractor continued doing work for the CBSA for over 18 months without a valid security clearance." The CBSA disagreed with the OPC's position that the contractor worked "without a valid clearance".All sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.opc_no_clearance_months.2026-03-12 months without a valid security clearance” OPC, 12 March 2026, paragraphs 44 and 45. The CBSA disagreed with that finding paragraph 46

The conclusion

The Auditor General’s finding is that the CBSA “did not manage all aspects of the ArriveCAN application with due regard to value for money” OAG 1.82. On this record, that is the polite version.

ArriveCAN was not an emergency that got expensive. It was a contracting process in which one firm got the first deal without a contest, helped write the requirements for the biggest one, won it as the only bidder, and was paid premium rates on time sheets with no details of the work, inside an agency that kept its records so badly the Auditor General could not price the app exactly or name who chose the firm.

Each official named as the decider denies it or points to someone else. The firm says the auditor is wrong. Parliament found its partner in contempt for refusing to answer certain questions and for prevaricating. The firm is barred for 7Receipt7Years GC Strategies is barred from federal contracts and real property agreements under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyActual · 2025-06-06SourcePublic Services and Procurement CanadaDocumentGC Strategies Inc. determined to be ineligible under the Ineligibility and Suspension PolicyWhereNews release (ineligibility period, effective June 6, 2025)PublishedJune 6, 2025CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.arrivecan.gc_strategies_ban_years.2025-06-06 years.

And not a dollar has come back from the firm.

Still open

  • Who chose GC Strategies. MacDonald and Utano say Doan and Ossowski. Doan denies it; Ossowski says he relied on his officials. The Auditor General couldn’t say OAG 1.41. The CBSA’s own findings are unpublished.
  • The RCMP. One investigation specific to ArriveCAN, as of 18 June 2024, and no charge. We found no later statement and no charge (checked 4 October 2026).
  • MacDonald and Utano’s appeal, reported filed in May 2026.
  • The money. Ottawa’s 2025 claim against GC Strategies, for $198,000Receipt$198,000Amount the Government of Canada is seeking from GC Strategies in its 2025 lawsuit over billingActual · 2025-03SourceThe Globe and Mail (reporting)DocumentOttawa alleges IT subcontractor billed for more than 24 hours of work in a dayWhereArticle body ('The government is seeking $198,000 from GCStrategies')PublishedMarch 7, 2025CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceNews reporting of the government's notice of action: "The government is seeking $198,000 from GCStrategies, accusing the company of breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment." The allegations have not been tested in court. On 9 October 2025 the procurement department told the Public Accounts committee that the amount tied to GC Strategies was the only one still to be collected.All sourcesaccountability.gc_strategies.lawsuit_claim.2025-03, is untested in court. We found no recovery from the firm.
  • The ministers. For the CBSA, Public Safety: Bill Blair, then Marco Mendicino from 26 October 2021. For the Public Health Agency, Health: Patty Hajdu, then Jean-Yves Duclos from 26 October 2021. For the contracts, Public Services and Procurement: Anita Anand, then Filomena Tassi from 26 October 2021, then Helena Jaczek from 31 August 2022 House of Commons ministry lists. What each said on the record about how the work was contracted is the next research task.

The next read

ArriveCAN wasn’t the only no-bid deal. About 70%Receipt70.0%Share of the 97 McKinsey contracts awarded non-competitively (about 70%)Actual · 2011-01-01/2023-02-07SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 5—Professional Services Contracts With McKinsey & Company (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereKey facts and findingsPublishedJune 4, 2024CheckedSeptember 28, 2026Open the sourceAll sourcesaccountability.mckinsey.noncompetitive_share.2011-2023 of the 97Receipt97McKinsey contracts the Auditor General examined (the base of the non-competitive share)Actual · 2011-01-01/2023-02-07SourceOffice of the Auditor General of CanadaDocumentReport 5—Professional Services Contracts With McKinsey & Company (2024 Reports of the Auditor General)WhereKey facts and findingsPublishedJune 4, 2024CheckedOctober 4, 2026Open the sourceSource: "About 70% of the 97 contracts ... were awarded to McKinsey & Company as non‑competitive contracts." The audit covers these 97 contracts, awarded 1 January 2011 to 7 February 2023; the same count as accountability.mckinsey.contracts.2011-2023.All sourcesaccountability.mckinsey.contracts_examined.2011-2023 McKinsey contracts the Auditor General examined went out with no competition.

The waste file