Ottawa-Gatineau border reopens and a new visitor to Bearhaven: Top five stories this week
Travel restrictions end at the Ottawa-Gatineau crossings, a G2 driver receives an expensive lesson on the rules of the road and a bear is an uninvited guest to a Barrhaven back yard.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at the five most viewed stories on our website this week.
Ottawa-Gatineau border checkpoints ended Wednesday
Non-essential travel restrictions ended at the Ontario-Quebec boundary on Wednesday, allowing Ottawa and Gatineau residents to freely cross the Ottawa River without going through police checkpoints.
The Ontario government implemented travel restrictions on April 19 in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19. The Quebec government also implemented rotating checkpoints at the border crossings.
Ontario's order preventing non-essential travel into the province expired at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday. The Quebec government announced it would also reopen its border to Ontarians who wish to travel.
Mayor Jim Watson said this week the police checkpoints cost the Ottawa Police Service $800,000.
A driver shows identification to an Ottawa police officer as a checkpoint as vehicles enter the province from Quebec Monday April 19, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Eastern Ontario's top doctor wants Ontario to wait 21 days before entering Step 2
Eastern Ontario's medical officer of health called on the Ontario government to stick to the three-week timeline in the Roadmap to Reopen plan before easing more restrictions.
Dr. Paul Roumeliotis told CTV News at Five Thursday evening that the 21 days between stages would allow more time for people to receive a first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
This week, Premier Doug Ford said he would meet with health officials to discuss whether Ontario can make an earlier move into Step 2, which would allow indoor gatherings and shopping malls to reopen.
Late Thursday, chief medical officer of health Dr. Williams said he would only consider speeding up Step 2 by "a day or two."
"There's an end to the journey in sight," Williams said. "Let's make sure we get there safely, rather than doing something careless or reckless along the way."
Gatineau and the Outaouais moved into the yellow zone on Monday, allowing indoor gatherings and bars, breweries and taverns to reopen.
A patron drinks a beverage at a patio in the ByWard Market in Ottawa, as patios open in Ontario's first phase of re-opening amidst the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Saturday, June 12, 2021. (Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Ottawa man had more than one million child pornography files
An Ottawa man was sentenced to more than five years in prison after one of the largest seizures of child pornography images in Canadian history.
Tristan Alexandre Perrier, 68, pleaded guilty to making, possessing and distributing child pornography.
The RCMP say he had more than one million child sexual exploitation files in his possession.
Two speeding tickets in 59 minutes for Ottawa G2 driver
An 18-year-old Ottawa driver had an expensive start to the weekend, after receiving two speeding tickets on Ottawa roads in less than an hour.
Ottawa Police say an officer stopped the G2 driver going 112 km/h in an 80 km/h zone on Blackburn Bypass Friday morning.
Police say the same driver was stopped 59 minutes later going 117 km/h on the Airport Parkway. The speed limit is 70 km/h on the Airport Parkway.
Black bear safely relocated to White Lake after making visit to Barrhaven back yard
Bears were unexpected visitors in two Ottawa neighbourhoods this week.
Sunday morning, a black bear was spotted out for a stroll in a field in the area of Fernbank Road and Terry Fox Drive.
Monday morning, a black bear settled into a resident's backyard in the area of Earl Mulligan Drive in Barrhaven.
National Capital Commission Conservation Officers safely got the bear out of the tree and relocated it to a wooded area near White Lake.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump
As Donald Trump was running for president in 2016, his old friend at the National Enquirer was scooping up potentially damaging stories about the candidate and paying out tens of thousands of dollars to keep them from the public eye.
Here's why provinces aren't following Saskatchewan's lead on the carbon tax home heating fight
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye make it four NFL drafts with quarterbacks going 1-3
Caleb Williams is heading to the Windy City, aiming to become the franchise quarterback Chicago has sought for decades.