ST. STEPHEN, N.B. —
New rules at the Canada/U.S.A. land border crossings came into effect Monday and are being welcomed by border communities in New Brunswick.
Travel barriers at the border have altered daily life in cross-border neighbours St. Stephen, N.B. and Calais, Maine.
Many New Brunswick residents would often make a quick trip across the Canadian border to shop in Maine, but that hasn’t been the case in nearly a year.
“I miss the shopping and everything over there,” says one St. Stephen resident.
“We miss our trips to Mardens, to Walmart,” says another. “Last time I was over in Calais was definitely over a year ago.”
As of Monday, another change went into effect at the border.
Non-essential travellers trying to enter Canada by land must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result taken up to three days before arrival at the border.
Non-essential travellers can also present a positive COVID-19 test result, provided it was taken 14 to 90 days before arrival at the border.
The 14-day quarantine requirement remains mandatory for anyone entering New Brunswick.
It seems that most residents in St. Stephen support the new rules, even those who would like to make the crossing.
“All my friends were basically from over there, I didn’t really hang out with anyone here,” says one St. Stephen resident. “It sucks not being able to go see them.”
“I’m happy to see them tighten up on travel restrictions into the province, because almost all cases have been travel related,” says another St. Stephen resident. “At the same time, my heart goes out to those who have family across the border.
“Our community is doing alright here, and I’d like to keep us all safe that way,” says another N.B. resident.
The new rules will not affect most of the people who make the crossing every day.
Essential workers, who currently account for about 93 per cent of land border traffic, are exempt from the new rule, which raises questions about how effective the increase rules will be.
“Who is more of a threat? A trucker who travelled through 14 states, who slept in his truck, and eat[s] at truck stops, or just two people travelling in Canada?” asks CTV News Public Safety Analyst Chris Lewis. “So that’s all very confusing to me.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insists the new requirements will make a difference.
“These border measures will help stop the spread of COVID-19 and new variants,” he said in Ottawa on Friday.
But health experts aren’t so sure, pointing to five different variants now circulating in the U.S.
“It’s not going to keep the virus out,” Kelley Lee, a professor at the Simon Fraser University, told CTV News. “We know that people often need to be tested multiple times before the virus is detected in their system. We know there are false negatives, we also know people can be exposed during those 72 hours.”
Those who do not provide a negative test or other accepted proof at the border face fines up to $3,000.
Starting on Feb. 22, non-essential travellers will also be required to take a COVID-19 test at the border as well as at the end of their 14-day quarantine.
Trudeau says some Canadians can apply for a special exception to the new rules and that border officials will assess each person on a case-by-case basis.
EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.
Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.
Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.
Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.
Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.
RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.
Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.
“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.
But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.
“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.
While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.
Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.
The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.
It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.
Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.
The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.
Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”
However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.
McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”
About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.
McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.
He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.
The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
