Blue Dot, founded by the University of Toronto's Kamran Khan, provided data from cell phones and other devices to the Public Health Agency of Canada. The data included users' visits to points of interest like parks, grocery stores, hospitals, long-term care centers, and retirement centers.

In addition, Blue Dot analyzed data containing information from devices travelling from the U.S. to Canada.

Previous exclusive access to information filings by Rebel News uncovered telecom giant Telus as one of the vendors selling back-dated cell phone location data to PHAC to assist the agency in monitoring for compliance and a change in user behaviours after the imposition of Covid-19 restrictions. Telus was paid 200K to provide customers' location data retroactively to 2019.

PHAC's cell phone surveillance program was first reported by Rebel News after a request for interested contractors to extend an existing cell phone data scoop was posted on the government's online contracts and procurements website.

The compensation to Blue Dot by the Public Health Agency of Canada was not indicated in the access filing. Rebel News has refiled for a copy of the contract. To offset filing and research costs, please visit www.RebelInvestigates.com to make a donation today.