Toronto Pearson using new eGates to help battle delays
New technology has been installed at Toronto Pearson to try and help move people "better and faster" through the airport.
According to the Canada Border Services Agency, electronic gates, better known as eGates, have now been installed and are being tested at the airport as part of a trial.
"We are developing and testing new digital tools and technology to deliver a better and faster border experience for travellers arriving at Canadian airports," the CBSA said in a post to Instagram.
The eGates will be used to verify travellers' identity and submit their customs and immigration declaration.
When travellers arrive at the eGates, they will scan their travel document at the machine. The device will then take a photo of the traveller before printing out a confirmation receipt.
The traveller will then hand that receipt to a border officer.
The CBSA said it hopes the kiosks will help improve the flow of traffic through customs halls.
For the time being, the CBSA said the eGates will be available to international travellers aged 16 and over at Terminal 1.
Toronto Pearson has been plagued by massive lines caused by staffing shortages and an influx of people ready to travel following the pandemic.
Nearly half a million passengers were held up after arriving on international flights at Toronto Pearson in May.
Some 490,810 travellers, or about half of all arrivals from abroad, faced delays as they were held inside their planes on the tarmac or faced staggered off-loading to ease pressure on overflowing customs areas, according to figures provided by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
In total, some 2,700 flights arriving from outside the country were delayed at Pearson last month, versus four flights -- and a few hundred passengers -- in May 2019.
Travellers are being asked to arrive at Toronto Pearson two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING
BREAKING Real GDP per capita declines for 6th consecutive quarter, household savings rise
Statistics Canada says the economy grew at an annualized pace of one per cent during the third quarter, in line with economists' expectations.
W5 Investigates
W5 Investigates A 'ticking time bomb': Inside Syria's toughest prison holding accused high-ranking ISIS members
In the last of a three-part investigation, W5's Avery Haines was given rare access to a Syrian prison, where thousands of accused high-ranking ISIS members are being held.
Class-action lawsuit on 'opioid-related wrongs': Court to rule on drug companies' appeal
Canada's top court will rule Friday on the appeal of a class-action lawsuit meant to recoup some of the costs associated with British Columbia's opioid crisis from major drug makers and distributors.
As Australia bans social media for children, Quebec is paying close attention
As Australia moves to ban social media for children under 16, Quebec is debating whether to follow suit.
Irregular sleep patterns may raise risk of heart attack and stroke, study suggests
Sleeping and waking up at different times is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, even for people who get the recommended amount of sleep, according to new research.
California man who went missing for 25 years found after sister sees his picture in the news
It’s a Thanksgiving miracle for one California family after a man who went missing in 1999 was found 25 years later when his sister saw a photo of him in an online article, authorities said.
Trudeau Liberals' two-month GST holiday bill passes the House, off to the Senate
The federal government's five-page piece of legislation to enact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promised two-month tax break on a range of consumer goods over the holidays passed in the House of Commons late Thursday.
Nick Cannon says he's seeking help for narcissistic personality disorder
Nick Cannon has spoken out about his recent diagnosis of narcissistic personality disorder, saying 'I need help.'
Notre Dame Cathedral: Sneak peek ahead of the reopening
After more than five years of frenetic reconstruction work, Notre Dame Cathedral showed its new self to the world Friday, with rebuilt soaring ceilings and creamy good-as-new stonework erasing somber memories of its devastating fire in 2019.
Montreal
-
'Mayday!': New details emerge after Boeing plane makes emergency landing at Mirabel airport
New details suggest that there were communication issues between the pilots of a charter flight and the control tower at Montreal's Mirabel airport when a Boeing 737 made an emergency landing on Wednesday.
-
As Australia bans social media for children, Quebec is paying close attention
As Australia moves to ban social media for children under 16, Quebec is debating whether to follow suit.
-
Some Quebec daycares to open at 10 a.m. due to worker strike
For the third week in a row, some 3,000 workers at daycares in Quebec are expected go on strike for a few hours.
Ottawa
-
'Dude, Where's My Bus?' Ottawa man fed up with OC Transpo makes documentary exploring transit troubles
Gio Petti put together a documentary on OC Transpo, asking how we got here. How did a city that was once lauded as an example of how to do transit right, and that boasted some of the highest per capita transit ridership numbers in the country, become a system that now elicits so much frustration from users?
-
Ottawa to begin full enforcement of 3-item garbage limit on Monday: Here’s what you need to know
The City of Ottawa will begin the final phase of the graduated approach to enforcing the city’s new three-item garbage limit on Monday, leaving behind any extra items not in a yellow bag.
-
What's happening in Ottawa this weekend: Nov.29-Dec. 1
Santa Claus visits Ottawa and eastern Ontario, the Ottawa Black Bears play their first game and Christmas market season continues. CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at things to do in Ottawa and eastern Ontario this weekend.
Northern Ontario
-
Black Friday sales stretch out for weeks: retail analyst
Black Friday is officially the busiest shopping day of the year, even surpassing Boxing Day and Super Saturday, the final Saturday before Christmas. Analysts say retailers are rolling out Black Friday sales sooner now, making them last longer into Cyber Monday and beyond.
-
Northern Ontario site selected for nuclear waste underground repository
A region in northern Ontario has been chosen as the site to hold Canada's nuclear waste in a deep geological repository.
-
Ongoing bed bug issue at a Timmins apartment building is 'like living in hell'
A battle with bed bugs continues at 217 Pine St. North in Timmins, according to a tenant who has lived there for a year and a half.
Kitchener
-
One dead, another hurt in Cambridge shooting
Waterloo Regional Police are investigating a fatal shooting in Cambridge.
-
Mother from Guelph, Ont. seeks answers following son's death in prison
Brody Robinson was found without vital signs in his cell at Millhaven Institution the evening of Oct. 29. He was 23-years-old.
-
Flurries, possibly even snow squalls, in southern Ontario’s forecast
Winter finally arrives this week in southern Ontario. Environment Canada is forecasting flurries and snow squalls almost every day.
London
-
Knights' Boulton hit with eight-game suspension
The left winger has been suspended eight games, retroactive to Nov. 23 against Saginaw, when he was handed a major penalty for slashing, along with a game misconduct.
-
'Shock, disappointment, and excitement': South Bruce not selected for nuclear waste project
Anja Vandervlies and Michelle Stein could hardly believe it when they heard South Bruce was not going to host Canada’s first permanent storage facility for nuclear waste.
-
Dundas Place to be car-free more consistently with weekend schedule
City hall is once again considering changes to when Dundas Place transforms into a pedestrian-only street, but the city councillor representing Downtown London doesn’t think the time is right for scheduling weekly closures to traffic.
Windsor
-
Injury reported at NextStar Energy plant work site
The Ministry of Labour is investigating after an injury at the construction site of the NextStar Energy battery plant.
-
One man sought, one man arrested in kidnapping and extortion investigation
Windsor police officers have charged one man with 29 offences and they are seeking a second suspect in a kidnapping and extortion investigation.
-
Wrong-way driver arrested on E.C. Row Expressway
Windsor police say a 47-year-old man is facing impaired driving charges after going the wrong way on the E.C. Row Expressway.
Barrie
-
50 cms of snow across central Ontario expected this weekend
Environment Canada has released snow squall warnings and watches for our region.
-
Individuals living in encampment in Barrie's south end given notice to vacate
Several police officers and city staff attended a homeless encampment in Barrie’s south end on Thursday morning to inform the individuals living there they would have to vacate the area.
-
Man convicted of violent sexual assault of a senior could be deemed dangerous offender
The Crown wants a Wasaga Beach man to be deemed a dangerous or long-term offender following a violent sexual assault of a senior inside her Stayner home two years ago.
Winnipeg
-
Hanover School Division laying off 93 EAs due to confusion over funding
The Hanover School Division is laying off 93 educational assistants, citing an "unexpected loss of federal funding for Jordan's Principle programming."
-
A tale of two downtowns: Restaurants opening and closing show complexity of downtown revival
Proposed developments and new businesses opening are fueling optimism for some on a revival of downtown Winnipeg, but some business owners say the present remains problematic.
-
Art auctioned from WAG-Qaumajuq to make way for new pieces representing Winnipeg
Visitors to the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq may soon see some brand new art hanging on its walls.
Atlantic
-
Storm Watch: School closures, cancellations
Here is a list of school cancellations and delays in the Maritimes for Friday, Nov. 29.
-
Gas prices fall in N.S., P.E.I., increase slightly in N.B.
Gas prices change in all three Maritime provinces.
-
Trudeau Liberals' two-month GST holiday bill passes the House, off to the Senate
The federal government's five-page piece of legislation to enact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promised two-month tax break on a range of consumer goods over the holidays passed in the House of Commons late Thursday.
N.L.
-
'Who profits on hunger?': Inuit send pleading emails to minister about food costs
People in Nunavut and northern Labrador have been writing to Canadian government officials this year to say grocers were charging exorbitant prices despite receiving a federal subsidy.
-
As N.L. firm pivots, scientists say Canada's green hydrogen dreams are far-fetched
A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen.
-
Canadian leads group pushing Vatican for zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy
An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.
Edmonton
-
Oilers rightly optimistic they can pull themselves into NHL playoff picture. Again
Hockey fans know the adage: U.S. Thanksgiving, while unofficial, serves as a great calendar marker in predicting which teams will make the National Hockey League playoffs.
-
Alberta will patrol shared border with Montana as tariff threat looms: premier
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province is ready to take border security into its own hands.
-
Alberta taking federal government to court over revised impact assessment law
Alberta is taking the federal government to court, saying Ottawa has failed to follow through on what Premier Danielle Smith calls necessary changes to a law governing resource development.
Calgary
-
Alberta will patrol shared border with Montana as tariff threat looms: premier
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says the province is ready to take border security into its own hands.
-
Community concerned at lack of safety at Elbow Drive S.W. crossing
Meadowlark Park residents say a fatal crash involving a pedestrian on Wednesday night was just the latest incident at a very dangerous crossing.
-
Future of Sport in Canada commissioner invites more voices to consultations
The woman at the helm of the Future of Sport in Canada Commission says many Canadians have participated so far and she urges more to speak up.
Regina
-
Extreme cold warning in effect for areas around Regina
Frigid temperatures and wind chills have prompted Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) to issue an extreme cold warning for areas around Regina and other pats of southern and central Saskatchewan.
-
Crown gives final remarks in Ruben Manz case as argument to jury concludes
The prosecution has presented their closing remarks against Ruben Manz to a 13-person jury, bringing an end to arguments before their sequestering.
-
Youngest roping duo looking for repeat performance at Agribition Rodeo
Kavis Drake, 18, and Denim Ross, 20, won the average in last year’s Maple Leaf Finals Rodeo team roping event at Agribition. The two were the youngest competitors in 2023 and are once again in their event this year.
Saskatoon
-
Extreme cold warning issued for Saskatoon
Environment Canada has issued an extreme cold warning for parts of central Saskatchewan, including Saskatoon, on Thursday.
-
Sask. forecasting $743.5M deficit in mid-year financial report, up $470.5M from budget
The provincial government says increases to crop insurance claims later in the growing season are a main reason for Thursday’s mid-year deficit forecast of $743.5 million, which is up more than $470 million from the budget.
-
'Got to deal with it': Saskatoon residents dealing with bumpy, snowy roads
Most of the main roads in Saskatoon are cleared, but feeder streets and residential roads are a different story.
Vancouver
-
Could Vancouver's public funds be used for investments in cryptocurrency?
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim has apparently expressed interest in cryptocurrency investments.
-
'Completely preventable': Wheel flies off dump truck on B.C. highway, striking SUV head-on
A dump truck driver has been handed more than $700 in fines after one of his wheels detached and flew into the front of an oncoming SUV in B.C.’s Fraser Valley on Thursday.
-
Suspect arrested in vandalism at Maple Ridge tea shop, RCMP say
Two months after a Maple Ridge tea shop was targeted in an alarming act of vandalism, authorities have identified a suspect.
Vancouver Island
-
Avian flu case discovered in Greater Victoria, officials confirm
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed a case of avian flu has been detected in Greater Victoria, on the Saanich Peninsula.
-
Penelakut Island food stores spoil after power outage during B.C. windstorm
Hundreds of people on B.C.'s Penelakut Island are staring down a winter without their essential food stores.
-
Stolen Dodge pickup used in theft of 2nd Dodge truck, B.C. RCMP say
Authorities are asking for the public’s help tracking down at least two suspects who used a stolen Dodge pickup to steal a second Dodge truck in Greater Victoria this month.
