Eclipse brings excitement, tourism to Eastern Townships
The total solar eclipse is coming with plenty of safety warnings, but in the Eastern Townships, there's excitement about the fact that the celestial event is becoming a tourist attraction.
For most, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
"A solar eclipse, a partial one, happens every few years, but a total [eclipse], this is what is super rare. The last one, for example, over Montreal was in 1932," said Julie Bolduc-Duval, executive director of Discover the Universe.
While there are school closures and warnings about protecting people's eyesight, many across eastern Canada are mostly excited.
"I had the chance to see a total solar eclipse in 2017 in the United States, and it's really something," Bolduc-Duval said.
On April 8, the eclipse is slated to cross Mexico and the U.S. before heading into Canada.
The spots directly under this shadow are called the path of totality, where viewing the eclipse will be the best.
Quebec's Eastern Townships are right centre.
"It goes straight through Sherbrooke and Astrolab du parc national du Mont-Mégantic above two dark sky reserves," explained Lysandre Michaud-Verreault, a spokesperson for Tourism Eastern Townships.
Magog, Sherbrooke and Coaticook should have the best seats in the house for the celestial show.
The Eastern Townships tourism board says it is expecting around 75,000 people at 50 watch parties.
That's not counting those who will be coming to watch on their own.
The region says it is especially good for tourism because it's happening in what would normally be a quiet time of year.
"After Easter, it's not as crowded as it could be, but for the eclipse, it is. So it brings a lot of people," said Michaud-Verreault. "We are pretty busy. The occupation rate is pretty high."
There are also events in Montreal, with hundreds or even thousands expected to pack into Parc Jean Drapeau for a viewing party.
"It's just an amazing experience. You kind of feel part of this universe," said Bolduc-Duval.
If you miss this one, there's always next time but for eastern Canada, there's no other eclipse anticipated for at least 50 years.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.