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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.