Quebec residents frustrated with police checkpoints at Ontario-Quebec crossings near Pembroke
At the provincial border crossing between Ontario and Quebec near Pembroke, Ont., residents of the small border community of Chapeau say the police checkpoints are ineffective and disruptive.
"We’ve been told that essential services are something that we all have a right to," says Kiersten Smith, a resident of the small island community in Quebec.
"The fact that we’re an island lends itself to that we travel to Pembroke for everything. That’s where my banking is, my oil changes, my grocery, my pharmacy. I work in Ontario, my husband works in Ontario."
Smith says they are allowed to pass through the checkpoints into Ontario for work purposes or if they are picking up a prescription from a pharmacy, but not to pick up other items like groceries.
"They said that we can’t go over for our groceries anymore and that we have to go to the Quebec side," says Smith. "I’ve never shopped over here for my groceries, it’s a further grocery store."
Fellow Chapeau resident Marielle Lair has experienced the same hassle when trying to buy food every week.
"We do have a small grocery store in our area but it doesn’t have everything that we need," says Lair.
"When I have to go over to get my weekly grocery order, I have to lie and I have to say I’m that I’m going to pick up prescriptions," says Smith.
The crossing near Pembroke on Highway 148 is one of four Ontario-Quebec checkpoints being monitored by Ontario Provincial Police. The other three are Chenaux Road in Renfrew County, the John Street Bridge in Hawkesbury, and Highway 401 in Bainsville.
The OPP say the checkpoints are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are expected to remain in place until at least June 16.
"We’re rural on this side, so our services really and truly are in Pembroke, Ont., and I speak for a majority of the residents on the island," says Smith. "We just don’t have the infrastructure or the services on this side to service our needs."
The frustration really sets in when the residents see vehicles with Ontario licence plates regularly entering Quebec. With the checkpoints originally set up to slow the spread of COVID-19, Lair says they are not working.
"People come over here because of cheap beer and cigarettes. As well as we have a lot of lakes and fishing opportunities for people. There’s no consistency and people with Ontario plates can come and go as they please and we can’t."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for "all parties" to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
Taylor Swift drops 15 new songs on double album, 'The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology'
On Friday, the pop star released her 11th album and at 2 a.m. Eastern, she released "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology," featuring 15 additional songs.
Israel gave U.S. last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
The United States told the Group of Seven foreign ministers on Friday that it received 'last minute' information from Israel about a drone action in Iran, but didn't participate in the apparent attack, officials said.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.