Ontario man without smartphone has no way to download tickets
After two years of the pandemic, many people are anxious to see concerts and sporting events. But when you buy a ticket, it’s often sent right to your smartphone.
However, according to Statistics Canada, about 10 per cent of Canadians don't have a smartphone, which can cause problems if you’re trying to purchase tickets.
“That’s my technology right there. An old flip phone,” said Bob Cocroft of St. Catharines, Ont.
Cocroft bought five tickets for $684 for Cirque du Soleil’s Crystal performance which is happening in St. Catharines on June 30.
Cocroft said after he bought the tickets he was shocked when there wasn’t a paper ticket or print ticket option.
He was told to download the tickets to his smartphone, but he doesn't have one and now he's not sure how his family can get into the show.
“We just can’t justify the expense of a smartphone, and had they said it was smartphone only, we may have hesitated on spending $700 dollars on five tickets. I don't know what we are going to do at this point," said Cocroft.
When Cocroft was trying to get answers as to how he can attend the event, Ticketmaster Fan Support told him, “I’m sorry you cannot access the tickets since you don't have a smartphone. The available delivery method of the tickets is mobile entry only.”
"Ticketmaster sent me to Cirque du Soleil and then Cirque Du Soleil sent me back to Ticketmaster. Without a smartphone I’ve lost the ability to get these tickets," Cocroft said.
After CTV News Toronto got in touch with Ticketmaster they contacted Cocroft and provided him with instructions on how he could get paper tickets.
A spokesperson for Ticketmaster said, “We have worked with our Fan Support team, who has coordinated directly with Mr. Cocroft and Cirque du Soleil. He will be able to provide his picture ID and card used for purchase to pick up their tickets. Mr. Cocroft has been advised and is pleased with the resolution.”
Cocroft was able to go to the venue and get paper tickets and he and his wife Darleigh felt much better to have the tickets in hand and said they will be more careful buying tickets in the future.
“Why can't it always be like this?” said Cocroft.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Defeated and discouraged': Airport frustrations sour Canadians' summer travel plans
CTVNews.ca asked Canadians to share their travel horror stories as cancelled flights, delays and lost luggage throw a wrench in Canadians' summer travel plans, due in part to staffing shortages at Canadian airports. Some report sleeping at airports and others say it took days to get to or from a destination.
Gunmen killed in Saanich bank shootout identified as twin brothers
Twin brothers in their early 20s were responsible for the shooting that injured numerous police officers at a bank in Saanich, B.C., earlier this week, RCMP alleged Saturday.
TD 'significantly' downgrades home sale, price forecasts
A new report from TD says Canadian home sales could fall by nearly one-quarter on average this year and remain low into 2023.
Dwindling salmon stocks mean endangered B.C. orcas are going hungry, researchers say
Researchers in British Columbia say the province's endangered southern resident orcas have not been getting enough food for years, with some of the worst bouts of hunger occurring since 2018.
Calgary's new 'Museum of Failures' aims to spark creativity
It's been said no one's success is complete without failure, but a new international exhibit in Calgary is proving that even some of the most talented innovators had some of the worst ideas for consumers.
Gas prices see long weekend drop in parts of Canada, but analysts say relief not likely to last
The Canada Day long weekend saw gas prices plummet in parts of the country, but the relief at the pumps may not stay for very long, analysts say. The decreases come after crude oil prices slid in June following the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes, sparking fears of a recession.
Anti-Taliban law could be tweaked to get more humanitarian aid to Afghans: minister
A law outlawing any dealings with the Taliban, which charities complain is impeding their ability to help needy Afghans, could be adjusted by the federal government to give more flexibility to aid agencies.
Uvalde schools' police chief Pete Arredondo resigns from City Council
The Uvalde school district's police chief has stepped down from his position in the City Council just weeks after being sworn in following allegations that he erred in his response to the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School that left 19 students and two teachers dead.
Russian forces press assault on eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk
Russian forces pounded the city of Lysychansk and its surroundings in an all-out attempt to seize the last stronghold of resistance in eastern Ukraine's Luhansk province, the governor said Saturday.
Montreal
-
Housing advocates count 600 Quebec households without a home after July 1
The number of Quebec households without a roof over their heads after July 1 moving day is currently 600. That number "could continue to rise in the coming days," warned Véronique Laflamme, spokesperson for the Quebec housing advocacy group - FRAPRU, at a news conference in Montreal on Saturday.
-
Faced with rising COVID-19 hospitalizations, Quebec doctor calls for health system improvements
With COVID-19 numbers once again on the rise in Quebec, some doctors fear a serious crunch could be right around the corner.
-
Struggle to find pet-friendly apartments leads to more surrenders at SPCA
The hunt for affordable housing is becoming increasingly challenging in Montreal, and advocates say this is especially true for pet owners.
London
-
'Boom, boom, boom': London police and fire investigating suspicious car fire in parking garage
Heavy smoke and loud explosions woke up a number of residents in a high-rise apartment Saturday morning on Capulet Lane in London, Ont. when a fire broke out in the parking garage next to their building.
-
Doctor prepared to take legal action if Ontario doesn't expand COVID-19 booster eligibility
Ontario is not yet allowing most adults under the age of 60 to get a fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot, prompting one doctor to prepare legal action to get the province to widen eligibility.
-
TD 'significantly' downgrades home sale, price forecasts
A new report from TD says Canadian home sales could fall by nearly one-quarter on average this year and remain low into 2023.
Kitchener
-
'Suddenly just explosions': Man arrested for setting off fireworks on Waterloo road
A man is facing charges after he set off fireworks early Saturday morning in Waterloo. "He was holding the fireworks in his hand and then projecting them at businesses and pedestrians," said police.
-
Demolition Derby draws a big crowd in Burford
Hundreds of drivers are hoping to crash their way to the top prize at the Billy Bash Demolition Derby in Burford this weekend.
-
Tre Ford, former UW football star, makes first career CFL start with the Edmonton Elks
Tre Ford, the former University of Waterloo football star, made history at the Edmonton Elks game on Friday night.
Northern Ontario
-
Explore nature to learn about the Seven Grandfather Teachings
A unique scavenger hunt in Sudbury aims to get people out exploring nature and enjoying the outdoors. The event includes an educational element about Indigenous traditions and teachings, in particular the Seven Grandfather Teachings.
-
Disabled athlete attempting to cross Lake Superior
A Toronto man is getting set to become the first disabled athlete to cross Lake Superior on a paddleboard. Mike Shoreman, who made a stop in Sault Ste. Marie Friday, has already crossed Lake Erie, and most recently crossed Lake Huron. He is raising money for youth mental wellness.
-
Hwy.11 reopened after a tractor trailer collision near Calstock
All lanes of Highway 11 at Micro Tower Rd in the Pagwa area near Calstock, between Kapuskasing and Longlac, have reopened follwing a tractor trailer collision.
Ottawa
-
Police, city 'better prepared' for Canada Day festivities, Ottawa's mayor says
Mayor Jim Watson says the city of Ottawa and Ottawa police were better prepared and had more resources to police the capital for the Canada Day long weekend, as a sense of normalcy returned to downtown Ottawa and the Parliamentary Precinct after Canada's 155th birthday.
-
Lifeguard shortage at beaches and swimming pools across the national capital region
A shortage of lifeguards means some beaches in the national capital region will be unsupervised this summer and swimming classes are being cancelled.
-
Nearly 100 vehicles towed from downtown vehicle control zone since Wednesday: Bylaw
Ottawa police say residents and visitors will continue to see an enhanced police presence in downtown Ottawa today, as the cleanup begins from Canada's 155th birthday party.
Windsor
-
Inquest jury returns with 38 recommendations following inmate death inside Windsor jail
A jury tasked with making recommendations following the death of a 30-year-old inmate inside Windsor's South West Detention Centre says Ontario jails should no longer consider access to phone calls to be a privilege.
-
Vehicle collision in Leamington, Ont. claims life of motorcyclist
One person is deceased and another was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries following a collision between a pickup truck and a motorcycle in Leamington on Canada Day.
-
Bronze statue of Hiram Walker unveiled in Windsor, Ont.
Immortalizing the founder of Walkerville in cast metal has been a task — years in the making, in fact — but a statue of the late Hiram Walker was finally unveiled to the public Saturday at a new parkette at his old stomping grounds.
Barrie
-
Emergency service calls up 25 per cent in Muskoka
Paramedics anticipate a 25 per cent increase in calls after a noticeable spike over the last few months.
-
Nine people rescued from the water in Georgian Bay within two days: OPP
Provincial police say they rescued nine people from the waters of Georgian Bay within two days.
-
Oro-Medonte residents hold a yard sale to support legal battle against short-term rentals
A group of Oro-Medonte residents held a fundraiser on Saturday to raise money for the ongoing battle against short-term rentals in the area.
Atlantic
-
N.B. woman facing impaired driving charge after SUV collides with RCMP vehicle
A 50-year-old New Brunswick woman is facing an impaired driving charge following a head-on collision with a fully marked RCMP vehicle in the village of Tracadie.
-
N.S. man charged after allegedly ramming RCMP vehicle, fleeing the scene: police
A 32-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly drove into an RCMP vehicle before fleeing from police.
-
Staffing shortages, hospital closures to blame for long wait times at Maritime emergency departments
Longer than usual wait times are being felt at emergency departments across the Maritimes this long weekend.
Calgary
-
Man in custody after firefighter dragged on fleeing vehicle
Calgary police have a man in custody after a Calgary Fire member was hurt by a stolen vehicle Saturday afternoon.
-
Missing Edmonton teen found safe in Oregon, U.S. man facing charges
A 13-year-old girl from Edmonton who had been missing for more than a week was safely located in Oregon, where a man, 41, is in police custody and facing charges.
-
Man hospitalized after fall down Elbow River embankment
A man is recovering in hospital after falling down a steep embankment in the city's southwest Saturday afternoon.
Winnipeg
-
Shamattawa man recovering after officer-involved shooting
A man from Shamattawa First Nation is being treated for serious injuries after an RCMP officer-involved shooting Saturday afternoon.
-
'I'm really angry': Staff shortages temporarily closing some rural Manitoba emergency rooms
Longstanding staff shortages in rural emergency rooms are continuing to create problems, with some being forced to close or cut their hours.
-
Man stabbed, other sprayed with bear mace at The Forks
Winnipeg police confirmed that one man was stabbed and another was sprayed with bear mace during an incident at The Forks on Friday night.
Vancouver
-
BC Housing 'looking into' whether residential cooling systems disabled
The provincial housing agency is keeping tight-lipped in the wake of troubling questions around whether some of the most vulnerable people in British Columbia are unauthorized to use cooling systems already installed in their homes.
-
Saanich, B.C., gunman's Instagram account featured rifles, anti-government hashtags
An Instagram account belonging to one of the two gunmen killed in a shootout at a bank in Saanich, B.C., this week paints a picture of a young man who believed gun ownership was a necessary response to government "tyranny."
-
'Absolutely insane': A B.C. man describes his 11-month wait for a passport
When Bill Ferguson strolled into a. Service Canada office in B.C. to renew his passport last August, he anticipated a quick, stress-free process. Turns out, it’s been anything but.
Edmonton
-
Missing Edmonton teen found safe in Oregon, U.S. man facing charges
A 13-year-old girl from Edmonton who had been missing for more than a week was safely located in Oregon, where a man, 41, is in police custody and facing charges.
-
Police identify Saanich, B.C., gunmen as 22-year-old twin brothers
Mounties on Vancouver Island have publicly identified the two gunmen killed during a shootout with police at a bank in Saanich on Tuesday as 22-year-old twin brothers Mathew and Isaac Auchterlonie.
-
'As big as it gets': Bowlers flock to Edmonton for national 5-pin competition
The best five-pin bowlers in the country were in Edmonton to compete at the Canadian Master Bowlers Nationals tournament.