The Îles-de-la-Madeleine archipelago now requires a barcode scan for departure
The Îles-de-la-Madeleine archipelago has implemented a new rule for visitors and locals alike who want to leave the islands: they must use a QR code.
Alternately, residents who want to leave must show official ID
The Îles-de-la-Madeleine is located in Gulf of St. Lawrence in the Canadian province of Quebec. Its new system requires anyone seeking to leave its borders to have to show an official ID (residents) or use a QR code (non-residents).
To obtain the quick response barcode that can be used instead of an official ID, visitors to the islands are required to pay CAD $30. The program was launched recently as a part of a one-year pilot in the hopes of solving the issue regarding the requirement for a better tourism infrastructure understanding by the “municipal regulation.”
Any non-resident of the archipelago who is 13-years old or older must pay the fee to obtain the barcode. Failure to scan the QR code once it’s paid for comes with a hefty $1,000 fee.
The first Canadian municipality to implement this type of QR code system
The Îles-de-la-Madeleine is the first place in Canada to require people to use a quick response barcode system. That said, there is a similar fee-based system (without the barcode) in place in Canada for both visitors and residents of the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, which are attached by the Confederation Bridge. Crossing comes with a minimum $50 fee (per axle). Similar to the new QR code-based system in Quebec, the Confederation Bridge fee is charged upon leaving the island, though not to enter.
In the case of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, there isn’t a bridge. The islands are accessible only by boat or plane. The new pilot program’s fees are expected to generate $1 million in the fist year.
The initial plan had been to require residents to show the barcodes to leave as well, but officials changed their minds following heavy pushback from those residents. That said, residents will need to use official ID to prove their identities to avoid using the barcodes and paying the fees.