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
Loblaw leaders push back on 'misguided criticism' of grocer as boycott begins
Loblaw's new chief executive, as well as chairman Galen Weston, pushed back on what they called 'misguided criticism' of the grocer as a push to boycott the company gains steam online.
TD Bank hit with $9.2M penalty after failing to report suspicious transactions
Canada's financial intelligence agency says it has levied a $9.2-million penalty against The Toronto-Dominion Bank for non-compliance with money laundering and terrorist financing measures as the bank also faces compliance investigations in the U.S.
Orangutan observed treating wound using medicinal plant in world first
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented.
This Canadian restaurant just lowered its prices. Here's how it did it
A Canadian restaurant lowered its prices this week, and though news of price tags dropping rather than climbing sounds unusual, the business strategy in this case is not, according to experts in the field.
There's a limit to how much interest rates in Canada and U.S. can diverge: Macklem
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadian interest rates don't have to match U.S. or global rates, but there is a limit to how much they can diverge.
Prince William and Kate release photo of daughter Charlotte to mark ninth birthday
Prince William and his wife Kate released a picture of their daughter Charlotte to mark the princess's ninth birthday on Thursday.
Doctors concerned about potential spread of bird flu in Canada
H5N1 or avian flu has been detected at dozens of U.S. dairy farms and Canadian experts are urging surveillance on our side of the border too.
Airbnb's Icons allow you to drift off in the 'Up' house or rest in Prince's 'Purple Rain' mansion
The vacation destination rental company announced a new category of 'Icons,' a collection of 'extraordinary experiences hosted by the greatest names in music, film, television, art, sports, and more.'
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Goring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.