Ottawa-Gatineau border checkpoints to end Wednesday
Border restrictions between Ontario and Quebec will end this Wednesday, allowing Ottawa and Gatineau residents to freely cross the river without going through police checkpoints.
Ontario's order preventing non-essential travel into Ontario from Quebec and Manitoba will expire on Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. and will not be renewed, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones’s office said Monday.
And the Quebec government says it will also reopen its border to Ontarians who wish to travel as of Wednesday.
"This reopening applies to anyone wishing to travel between the two provinces, without exception," the office of Quebec's public safety minister said in a release.
Ottawa police have been establishing checkpoints to curb travel between the provinces, turning away Quebec drivers who weren’t coming into Ontario for work or another essential reason.
Police started setting up the checkpoints April 19. As of the end of May, they had cost the service about $600,000. On Monday, Ottawa mayor Jim Watson said the cost had risen to $800,000.
"It's costing $800,000, we anticipate as promised, the province will pay for that, it should not be local taxpayers," he said.
In a tweet, Watson applauded the decision."After months of wasted police resources to control travel around the NCR, our two integrated economic regions will greatly benefit from this decision," he tweeted.
The new rules mean as of Wednesday, Ottawa residents who want to eat indoors at Gatineau restaurants will be allowed to do so. Ontario restaurants aren't yet open for indoor dining.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Doctors combine a pig kidney transplant and a heart device in a bid to extend woman's life
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.