A new COVID-19 contact tracing app, being tested in Ontario, will soon be available to download for free.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the app will notify users if they have been exposed to the virus and its use will be “completely voluntary.”
“It’s super simple, It’s super secure. And we’ve worked very, very carefully to ensure that it is that way. It will be available as of the beginning of July right across the country.”
Trudeau says “You download it for free. You leave it in the back of your phone and you forget about it until suddenly it tells you that you may have been in proximity with someone who has since tested positive, reach out to your public health authority.”
Trudeau says at no time will personal information be collected and shared and no location services will be used.
He adds its use will be completely voluntary and the privacy of Canadians will be respected.
The number of known coronavirus cases has now surpassed 100,000 in Canada.
Trudeau states “It’s something that you can just download and forget about. And because it’s completely anonymous. Because it’s low maintenance. Because it’s completely respectful of your privacy, including no location services or geo-tagging of any sort, people can be confident that this is an easy measure that they can have to continue to keep us all safe as we reopen as we get more active. This is an approach that we are confident is going to make a big difference and Canadians can do this and forget about it.”
