Airlines and Pearson ask government to drop mandatory arrival testing requirement
People travel at Pearson International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Canada's largest airlines and the country's busiest airport are asking the federal government to drop its rule requiring mandatory arrivals testing for COVID-19.
In a letter to the federal and Ontario governments, Air Canada, WestJet and Toronto Pearson are calling for a shift of the testing capacity from the airports to the community.
As COVID-19 cases have surged in recent weeks, many provinces have decided to restrict molecular PCR testing to those at a higher risk of being hospitalized from COVID-19 or who are in settings where the virus could spread more quickly.
Travellers coming to Canada need to have a pre-arrival negative molecular test result for COVID-19. Once they arrive, those coming from any country other than the U.S. are tested again and must isolate until they get their results. Those coming from the United States are tested randomly.
The airlines and airport say testing arriving travellers isn't the best use of Canada's limited testing resources. They say the percentage of positive tests for those checked at the Canada's airports in the most recent week reported is far lower than tests in the community.
Air Canada, WestJet and Pearson want the government to revert to random arrival testing of international travellers and only require isolation for those arriving from an international location if they are exhibiting symptoms or test positive on a random test. They say those who do not have any symptoms after a negative pre-departure test before travel to Canada should not be required to isolate.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE COVERAGE | 'My little love is now flying high': Families pay tribute to Texas school shooting victims
Families are sharing photos and stories of their loved ones, who lost their lives in a mass shooting in Texas that killed at least 19 children and two adults on Tuesday afternoon.
Beto O'Rourke confronts Gov. Abbott on shooting: 'This is on you'
A news conference about the shooting at a Texas elementary school broke into shouting Wednesday as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke blamed Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for inaction ahead of the latest in a long string of mass shootings in the state.
Trudeau cancelled B.C. appearance after RCMP warned protest could escalate: CP source
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cancelled plans to appear in person at a Liberal fundraiser in British Columbia Tuesday after RCMP warned an aggressive protest outside the event could escalate if he arrived, said a source close to the decision. The source spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.
Governor: Texas gunman said he was going to shoot up school
The gunman who massacred 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Texas had warned in online messages minutes before the attack that he had shot his grandmother and was going to shoot up a school, the governor said Wednesday.
Who controls the price of crude oil?
Do oil companies control the price of crude? CTVNews.ca asked experts to explain.
Canada's 2022 summer weather forecast predicts huge differences from coast-to-coast
Several parts of the country, including British Columbia and Canada's Maritime provinces, are likely to see wetter-than-normal conditions this summer, according to AccuWeather's annual summer forecast.
Here's how to watch tonight's French Conservative leadership debate
Later tonight, the six candidates on the ballot to be the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada will be debating each other in Laval, Que. CTV News will be live-streaming the debate with English translation and offering real-time updates and analysis, and you can follow along.
'How to Murder Your Husband' author found guilty of murder
A jury in Portland has convicted a self-published romance novelist - who once wrote an essay titled 'How to Murder Your Husband' - of fatally shooting her husband four years ago.
Monkeypox in Canada: PHAC now confirms 16 cases nationwide
The Public Health Agency of Canada says it has now confirmed a total of 16 cases of monkeypox in the country, all in Quebec.
Montreal
-
Legault to Trudeau after Bill 96 criticism: 'Have a bit of respect for the majority of Quebecers'
Quebec politicians were not pleased with the federal Liberals' comments on Bill 96 and Bill 21, firing back with a slew of protests and even raising sovereignty as the solution.
-
Quebec to provide update on monkeypox outbreak as province confirms 16 cases
Quebec's public health department is set to give its first press conference on the growing monkeypox outbreak as the province recorded its 16th confirmed case Wednesday.
-
Montreal police bust major drug trafficking network producing 1 million pills per week
Montreal police says it is working to dismantle a 'major amphetamine trafficking and production network.'
London
-
Three Londoners charged after vehicle strikes police cruiser
Two men and one woman are facing charges Wednesday after police say their vehicle struck a London police cruiser and then fled the scene on foot over the weekend.
-
Fatal crash near Wardsville, Ont.
OPP and Southwest Middlesex fire are on the scene of a fatal collision Wednesday afternoon involving a tanker truck and a passenger vehicle.
-
'Extremely disappointing, extremely frustrating': Pride flags stolen, defaced in Norwich
Jeff Ducharme was in his home office when a young man in a truck pulled up, ran up to the front of his home in Norwich, Ont. and stole his pride flag in broad daylight.
Kitchener
-
Falling tree that killed Brantford woman was close miss for several others
New details are emerging about the tragic incident that killed 27-year-old Shelby Humble-Neale on Saturday.
-
Two seriously injured, one airlifted after crash in Baden, Ont.
Two 29-year-old men have been seriously injured following a collision in Baden, Ont., with one needing to be airlifted to a hospital outside the region.
-
Red paint back on Queen Victoria Statue in Kitchener
Nine days after city crews cleaned the latest dumping of paint off the Queen Victoria statue in Kitchener, the base of the monument is once again covered in red.
Northern Ontario
-
Sudbury candidate, trucker convoy organizer named in $306M lawsuit
A candidate in the provincial election in Greater Sudbury has been named in a $306 million lawsuit related to last winter's trucker convoy in Ottawa.
-
Officials explain partnership between Sudbury's STC, YES Theatre
The partnership between the Sudbury Theatre Centre and YES Theatre has many people wondering what it means for arts in the city -- and why it was put in place without consulting the arts community first.
-
Wrong-way Highway 11 driver acquitted in 2018 serious head-on crash
An Orillia man responsible for causing a head-on collision when he drove the wrong way on Highway 11 four years ago, sending a woman to the hospital with life-altering injuries, has been acquitted.
Ottawa
-
Hydro Ottawa promises 'the bulk of the system' will be restored by Friday night
The president of Hydro Ottawa says "with a little bit of luck" power will be restored along the Merivale Road area on Thursday, bringing power to another 15,000 to 20,000 customers still in the dark following Saturday's storm.
-
Here are the Ottawa schools that will be closed on Thursday due to the storm
The Ottawa Catholic School Board says all schools with power will be open on Thursday, but 14 schools without power will remain closed.
-
One generator powering five homes: sharing kindness and electricity
Out of the tragedy of Saturday’s storm, come stories of people helping each other.
Windsor
-
Helping students break down academic and social barriers, more Temi robots coming to St. Clair College
The Community Integration through Cooperative Education (CICE) program at St. Clair College received a $20,000 boost Wednesday morning.
-
UPDATED
UPDATED | Windsor police arrest final suspect sought in Forest Glade shooting, Major Crimes Unit continues investigation
Windsor police have arrested another suspect related to the shooting near a Forest Glade bowling alley in April.
-
Pilot project bringing transit to Amherstburg approved
The Town of Amherstburg is testing a pilot project with Transit Windsor for service in the town.
Barrie
-
Barrie police charge girl, 16, with attempted murder
Police charged a 16-year-old girl with attempted murder in connection with an alleged stabbing in Barrie last month.
-
Wrong-way Highway 11 driver acquitted in 2018 serious head-on crash
An Orillia man responsible for causing a head-on collision when he drove the wrong way on Highway 11 four years ago, sending a woman to the hospital with life-altering injuries, has been acquitted.
-
Police investigate alleged sexual assault in Wasaga Beach
Provincial police are investigating an alleged sexual assault in Wasaga Beach.
Atlantic
-
'That's not acceptable': Families of N.S. shooting victims, lawyers boycott inquiry in protest
As the inquiry into Nova Scotia’s mass shooting moves its public proceedings to Truro, many of the family members affected by the tragedy and their lawyers are boycotting the proceedings over the next week.
-
Murphy’s Logic: The mass shooting inquiry should put facts over feelings
Former Chief Anchor Steve Murphy offers a timely perspective on the Mass Casualty Commission and the difference 30 years after the Westray inquiry.
-
Two more people charged with murder in fatal Yarmouth County house fire
Two more people have been charged with murder in connection with a fatal house fire in Nova Scotia’s Yarmouth County in March. Three people have now been charged in the case.
Calgary
-
Calgary property taxes are in the mail, due by June 30
Those who haven't receive their bill by the first week of June are asked to contact 311.
-
'It's up to us': Flames look to avoid elimination against Oilers on Thursday night
Milan Lucic is a veteran of 135 Stanley Cup playoff games and has seen it all through the years. He's been up three games to none in a series and lost. He's also been up three games to one and had to play a seventh game.
-
Calgary mayor condemns gun violence, radical partisanship post-Texas school shooting tragedy
The mayor of Calgary says the increase in local gun violence and hate-based crimes needs to be addressed and it's past time the public demand better of its elected officials.
Winnipeg
-
Manitoba government says proposed changes will make liquor sales more convenient
The Manitoba government says it is planning to make alcohol sales more convenient, which the opposition says sounds like privatization.
-
'He gave so much to his community': Cliff Derksen, advocate for families and victims, has died
Cliff Derksen, a man who advocated on behalf of victims and families going through the justice system, has died.
-
Manitoba RCMP investigating after missing man found dead in water near culvert
Officers with the Manitoba RCMP are investigating after a 75-year-old man was found dead in the water near a culvert.
Vancouver
-
Ryan Reynolds talks growing up in B.C. on David Letterman's Netflix show
Ryan Reynolds shared some of what it was like growing up in Vancouver in a new interview with David Letterman this week, including the fact that he said he was going out to get gas when what he was really doing was moving to Los Angeles.
-
B.C. committee recommends honorary degree given to principal of former residential school be rescinded
A sub-committee formed by the University of British Columbia has recommended the honorary degree granted to a former principal of a residential school where unmarked graves were detected last year be rescinded.
-
B.C. woman's 'elaborately concocted alibi' for hit-and-run included fake letters, false accusations, court says
A B.C. woman who was convicted of a fatal hit-and-run despite her "elaborately concocted alibi" which included forged letters and lying about her truck being stolen by a panhandler, has lost her bid to have her sentence reduced.
Edmonton
-
'Still can't believe it': 1st period proposal makes Game 4 victory that much sweeter for Oilers fan
Even though they cheer for opposite teams, a proposal by a Flames fan at Game 4 of the Battle of Alberta received a resounding "yes" from the Oilers-loving bride to be.
-
Men killed in Edmonton's Chinatown were beaten to death: Medical Examiner
"Blunt force injuries" have been determined as the cause of death for both men attacked in Edmonton's Chinatown on May 19.
-
Shandro takes shots at Edmonton councillors over police budget, but misses on some facts
Alberta's justice minister is facing criticism for "strange" and "remarkably unhelpful" comments he made in the legislature on Tuesday when an NDP MLA asked him to help fight crime in Chinatown.