Canadian Crossing

Would Americans get an abortion in Canada?

Canadians can access abortion services, though like most healthcare, getting an abortion is a lot easier if you live in a large Canadian city. The United States, even before the leak of a decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, has been a place where getting an abortion was extremely difficult unless you lived in a large urban setting.

Canadians don't have the draconian laws of their southern neighbours.

Karina Gould, Canada’s minister of families, affirmed that Americans can access abortion services in Canada. “If they, people, come here and need access, certainly, you know, that’s a service that would be provided,” Gould told CBC News.

This may be notable in states such as Michigan that border Ontario. 

Matt Galloway talked about abortion in a recent segment on The Current on CBC Radio One. The emphasis was mostly on Saskatchewan, pointing out that access was easier in Regina than even Saskatoon.

Canada is a safer place for abortion though access should be improved

Prince Edward Island eases abortion restrictions (2015)

Abortion definitely an issue in New Brunswick election (2014)

The Trudeau Government had recent announcements on already assigned funding: more than $3.5 million in funding for 2 initiatives to improve access to abortion services and reproductive health information.

Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Action Canada would get $2.1 million over 3 years to improve information and referral services. The funding will also cover travel and accommodation costs for people seeking abortions.

The National Abortion Federation Canada will get $1.4 million over 3 years to help train health care providers to perform abortions and ensure facilities have the capacity to provide the service.

The U.S. helped out Canada on the abortion front in the late 1980s before a key decision from the Canadian Supreme Court.

The CBC News report noted the passport concern for Americans traveling to Canada for an abortion. Americans also need to register via the ArriveCAN app and be vaccinated to come to Canada, ideally in a land crossing.

CanadianCrossing.com health care coverage

Canada was a destination for same-gender marriages while the United States did this on a piece meal basis. The dreams of marijuana tourism have been thwarted by a delay on edibles and the pandemic. Plus, if you are an American wanting to do marijuana tourism, a flight to California has better weather at the destination and may be cheaper, depending on location.

Abortion tourism won't be marketed but might be a small slice of desperately need tourism money for Canada. As much as any kind of tourism would be helpful, abortion is the type of procedure where you want to be in your own bed after the procedure.

Home is an option for drugs that induce a miscarriage. That can make the process easier on women in Canada, the United States, and around the world.

There are groups of people who will particularly struggle with this not so distant future: poor women; women of colour, especially Indigenous women; and young women.

Women should have the full and complete right to decide when and how they get pregnant and how they deal with the situation should they become pregnant. Full stop.

photo credit: Full Frontal with Samantha Bee/TBS
video credit: CBC News

Canada to finally lift pre-arrival COVID-19 tests for air and land border crossings

Be cautious of third party, fraudulent webpages and apps that may pose as #ArriveCAN and ask you for payment. ArriveCAN, the official Government of Canada platform to provide your information when entering Canada, is free and secure. https://t.co/kdWEXB6imc #FraudPreventionMonth pic.twitter.com/bEGw26pppD

— Canada Border Services Agency (@CanBorder) March 14, 2022

No April Fools here. Starting April 1, fully vaccinated travelers to Canada won't need a pre-arrival COVID-19 test.

The requirement seemed overblown, especially for fullv vaccinated and boosted travelers to come to Canada. Randomized testing upon entry to Canada will continue.

You have to use the ArriveCAN app.

Minister of Health Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra, and Minister of Tourism Randy Boissonnault announced the updated changes this week.“Unvaccinated and partially vaccinated travelers will continue to be tested with COVID-19 molecular tests on arrival and quarantine for 14 days,” said Duclos in the news conference.

U.S. to open border to fully vaccinated travelers starting today

Opening Day for fully vaccinated Americans to cross into Canada with caveats

August 9 is the date fully vaccinated Americans can cross into Canada with some fine print

CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage

The changes apply to travelers who are full vaccinated. Boosted doesn't seem to be a requirement that we can tell. Boosted is better than being fully vaccinated. 

CBC News has a solid Q&A to help you out on nuanced questions. 

Where to visit Canada in 2022

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

The irony was that the Canadian government made travel easier for Canadians to shop in the United States and return than for Americans, fully vaccinated and boosted, to travel to Canada. This makes a day trip or even a longer trip to Canada much more viable for U.S. travelers.

Your humble narrator is eager to make a trip to Canada.

Twitter capture: @CanBorder
photo credit: CBC News

Stanley Tucci has plenty of love for Toronto

Full Release with Samantha Bee, the podcast not the TV show, doesn't mention Canada too often. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee loves its sarcastic Canadian references, mostly because the TV show is about comedy and current events.

Stanley Tucci, who has shown his love for Italy thanks to his CNN series Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy, was on the podcast with Samantha Bee some time ago (a little slow catching up for your humble narrator).

About 10 minutes into the podcast episode, Bee talked about growing up in Toronto around Italian families though not Italian herself. She loved the liveliness of the dinner table in those homes.

"Toronto's really interesting. I love Toronto. Actually, if I were to move back to North America, that's where I would live. ... It's an amazing city."

Tucci said he thinks Toronto has the highest concentration of Italians outside Italy (4th behind São Paulo, Buenos Aires, and New York City). There are Italian pockets in Toronto: College Street West is the most prominent but certainly one of several areas, including Pelmo Park-Humberlea and Maple Leaf as well as Corso Italia on St. Clair Avenue West.

Stanley Tucci — Full Release with Samantha Bee (Earwolf)

Tucci mentioned Brothers, a tiny place near where he was staying to make a film about 4 years ago. Brothers Food & Wine did close in 2020 but that team is behind a new place called Restaurant 20 Victoria. Amusingly, the new space is even tinier than the old establishment.

Bee wraps up the talk about Toronto by asking Tucci about whether he loves Kensington Market. Tucci agrees with how great the neighbourhood and the city is for him.

Samantha Bee might be channeling Anna Maria Tremonti in her new podcast

Where to visit Canada in 2022

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

Vancouver gets a lot of love for the weather and outdoor activities. Montréal gets a lot of love for its amazing food and cultural aspects. Toronto doesn't get as much love. Tucci lives in London so maybe he is biased toward Toronto or has done movies in Toronto. Toronto is a great gateway city, especially if you are an American who has never been to Canada.

Despite the food havens that are Vancouver and Montréal, Toronto deserves some travel love for its food and culture options. Toronto is a very cosmopolitan city. Kensington Market is very cool. Travel wherever you want in Canada. Don't dismiss Toronto without a bit of research.

Full Release with Samantha Bee comes out on Tuesdays. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee returns Thursday on TBS and CTV Comedy Channel at 10 pm Eastern.

photo credit: Full Release with Samantha Bee

Where to visit Canada in 2022

New year, new excitement about Canadian travel. We had hopes for 2020 and even 2021; there was some cross border travel but not as much as people hoped. Requiring a PCR COVID-19 test made getting into Canada a lot more difficult, even if you were Canadian. We love when Canadians visit the United States; our goals is to get Americans to Canada.

When Americans get a chance to reasonably enjoy Canada, they would need to do some research for finding a bus option within Canada. 2021 marked the final time Greyhound did business in Canada. The obvious exceptions were U.S. buses arriving in the Big 3: Toronto, Montréal, and Vancouver.

Some local bus companies have taken over some routes. Take Toronto-Ottawa as an example. Flying out of Toronto to Porter Airlines to Ottawa requires getting to both airports, waiting. The flight itself is brief and nice. The problem is the cost.

ViaRail gets you conveniently from Union Station to the Via Rail station where you can take the new Confederation Line from Tremblay west to downtown. The bus takes you from Bay and Dundas in Toronto and puts you on Bank Street sort of halfway between downtown and TD Place, home of the Ottawa RedBlacks in the CFL.

When your humble narrator took Greyhound from Toronto to Ottawa and back, I was able to travel overnight to cut down on my lodging bills. This was a few years ago but was able to travel one-way for $20. The trick was paying for Toronto-Montréal, which was further yet cheaper than Toronto-Ottawa.

We wouldn't recommend a specific bus service, especially without trying it out. Schedules may not be as flexible and costs may be higher.

Greyhound leaves Canada for good

2021 brought a few "well, you can sort of come if, if, and if" scenarios. This was well-suited to those who lived really close to the border. We are happy for them and want others to join in the fun.

U.S. to open border to fully vaccinated travelers starting today

Opening Day for fully vaccinated Americans to cross into Canada with caveats

August 9 is the date fully vaccinated Americans can cross into Canada with some fine print

With limited travel, we have had some fun with different types of travel articles. Fogo Island in Newfoundland is now a destination thanks to new infrastructure. Sometimes, travel issues are local when someone complained about how difficult getting to see a football game was in Toronto.

60 Minutes takes us to Fogo Island in Newfoundland

Getting to BMO Field in Toronto should be a good experience

Innovation. Improved infrastructure. This would help get more Americans on a train to Canada. Many travelers would rather take a train over a bus.

Improving train travel options between the United States and Canada

Though more Americans can get legal marijuana, there is still an argument for marijuana tourism in Canada. We just haven't had a chance to see this in motion.

A slim chance of marijuana tourism in Canada in 2021

For a lot of people in North America, travel between the countries has little to do with vacation but a practicality of having part of your community across an international border.

How the Canada-U.S. border closure has affected border towns

Alberta is an amazing pretty place whether mountains to the west and flat areas to the east. I might be a bit reluctant to venture to Alberta until the pandemic is truly settled, not just if Alberta premier Jason Kenney says so. The "pro-business" mentality has really screwed small, local businesses. Being more cautious and willing to make unpopular decisions for the better good: that is truly being pro small business.

Alberta dials back COVID-19 tracking to dangerous levels

We have tracked this idea for a few years ago. Where to go. Where do I want to go?

A trip back to Montréal. A first trip to Saskatoon. A chance to see relatively new CFL stadiums in Regina and Hamilton. The Icefield Parkway in Alberta. Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Gander in Newfoundland. Churchill in Manitoba, though that might be a pipe dream. The interior of British Columbia, a world not Vancouver or Victoria.

I've been to Quebec City but would like to try areas of the city I didn't get to see. Stratford, Ontario as an adult: have been there as a kid. Explore the Acadian part of New Brunswick.

Even as your humble narrator has been to all 10 provinces, there are so many Canadian travel possibilities.

Where to visit Canada in 2021

Where to visit Canada in 2020

Where to visit Canada in 2019

Where to visit Canada in 2018

Where to visit Canada in 2017

All Canada national parks are free in 2017

Where to visit Canada in 2016

Where to visit Canada in 2015

Where to visit Canada in 2014

Even if you are able to travel, right now, travel sucks. Not what it used to be or what it should be. Do research. Hope that trip will be what you want that to be. Someday. Please make it soon.

CanadianCrossing.com now has stories grouped by provinces and territories

CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

Wish the short-term future was better for tourism in Canada. Even a day trip in Windsor would improve my mood.

Share your Canadian tourism wishes for 2022 in the comments section below. Time to make travel plans.

map credit: Ezilon.com

60 Minutes takes us to Fogo Island in Newfoundland

"… Fogo Island, a 90-square-mile patchwork of 10 minuscule fishing villages where clapboard houses the color of jelly beans cling to rock 400 million years old. Among its quirks, Newfoundland has its own time zone, half an hour ahead of the mainland. But wander through Fogo Island's villages and you might as well set your watch back to the 18th century."

This is how Jon Wertheim of 60 Minutes described this island, which is north northeast of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The story is about Fogo Island as well as Zita Cobb, who came back to the region where she grew up. The economic idea was to build a $40 million, luxury inn, a plan to diversify the economy in the remote part of a remote province.

Microloans were also part of the plan to enrich local business: furniture and quilts for the inn, hydroponics, even a local coffee shop.

The story also mentions cod, or as they call it in that part of the world, fish. Crab and shrimp are now more prominent than cod. Cod is back with limits.

Cobb noted that the idea is growth but not too much growth: "less market share." "We're optimizing for place. We're optimizing for community."

Wertheim tells the backstory of the cod industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. Most readers of our blog know that backstory but we remind ourselves that most people who watch 60 Minutes may not know or remember.

There was lots of talk about hospitality, as in "love of a stranger" and "come from away." There was a lovely scene where the people gather with a lot of Newfoundland music. The top photo comes from that place, a nice nod to the distinct time zone, the only one of its kind in North America.

That photo came from what Wertheim said the locals dubbed a "shed party," which seems like a kitchen party in a shed.

Canada only gets mentioned in terms of the cod fishing industry.

Canadians and Americans can travel to fancier places for cheaper than traveling to the Rock. You do get a very different perspective traveling to such a place that you wouldn't get from travel spots your friends are more likely to recognize.

The Simpsons and others should learn Newfoundland before cracking jokes

Anthony Bourdain takes CNN's Parts Unknown to the mysterious land of Newfoundland

Morley Safer says goodbye to 60 Minutes

Justin Trudeau showcases Canada's new way on 60 Minutes

Justin Trudeau to appear on 60 Minutes

CanadianCrossing.com Newfoundland and Labrador coverage

CanadianCrossing.com U.S. OTA coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

You can follow more of the 60 Minutes coverage of Fogo Island. 60 Minutes runs on CBS in the United States and Global in Canada.

photos credit: 60 Minutes/CBS

Three Amigos are back after 5 years but feels unbalanced

We thought the Three Amigos was on a permanent siesta after the end of 2016. The return is sweet with a giant dose of bitter thanks to the CUSMA | USMCA aka really messed up trade deal.

Energy issues, including the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline; "buy American"; trade disputes; climate crisis; easing border crossings and dealing with COVID-19 — just some of the many issues in the discussion in Washington on Thursday.

The way Mexico went behind Canada's back in the trade negotiations went against the very idea of the Three Amigos so we are a bit surprised they brought back the name. A true spirit would be to renegotiate a trade deal between the three countries that could be signed without feeling like a proverbial gun to someone's head.

The Three Amigos sessions up until 2016 were meaningful to extend discussions behind close doors in smaller sessions. A symbol — si, oui, yes — but an important symbol.

We know about U.S. President Joe Biden and Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has been in power since December 1, 2018. This grouping has great potential to improve the relationship between the countries. The power of the Three Amigos could be taking positive steps, such as connecting the countries by train to transport goods.

The challenges are greater with building back economies after COVID-19 and with a faulty trade deal.

The impact of the Joe Biden presidency on Canada

U.S. may not pick a permanent replacement for Ambassador to Canada until well into 2021

David Cohen nominated to be the next U.S. Ambassador to Canada

Justin Trudeau appears on Meet the Press on Canada-U.S. relations

Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau meeting virtually is still important symbolically

One crucial step in the U.S.-Canada relationship is having a permanent U.S. Ambassador to Canada. Former Comcast executive David L. Cohen has been confirmed as U.S. ambassador to Canada. Cohen was approved by unanimous consent in the full Senate.

We sometimes joke about a low bar being sent; we don't have much faith in Cohen but we almost don't care since a reasonably competent human being would be a step up. There is a lot at stake and the ambassador isn't even in place.

Hopefully Cohen will actually end up in Ottawa soon. Joe Biden has been president since January 20.

The interim Chargé d'Affaires have been helpful and productive but the interim label limits their effectiveness.

Person	Start Date	End Date
Richard M. Mills Jr.	August 23, 2019	November 9, 2020
Katherine Brucker	November 9, 2020	May 28, 2021
Arnold A. Chacón	May 28, 2021	Incumbent

Meanwhile, Canada Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman is on TV talking about the future of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline and relations with China.

The delays have Democratic and Republican roots. The idea of installing ambassadors based on how much money they raise is a poor practice. Hillman was on the ambassador team before getting the primary position.

The U.S. is multiple miles and kilometres behind in the process and there are a lot of issues needing resolution.

One perhaps trivial note from the past few years to note: We had mentioned the name Aldona Wos as a potential replacement. Her name was never advanced. Turns out her husband is Louis DeJoy, the person appointed head of the U.S. Postal Service who basically was there to slow down postal service. While Wos is her own person, her association with DeJoy would have tainted her appointment.

Canada secretly passes heavily flawed CUSMA during the COVID-19 corornavirus pandemic

CanadianCrossing.com trade coverage

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian politics coverage

The mixing of the North American countries has never been really smooth. NAFTA was designed for employers, not employees in all 3 countries. The trade deal was a way to dump jobs from Canada to the United States to Mexico but not even all throughout Mexico.

The revised trade deal is true in spirit and form due to the imbalance in negotiations. Words that travel through a relationship can be damaging or forgotten, unlike words on a trade deal where signatures don't come from free will. Three Amigos is back as a name but can't be true in deed until the trade relationship is of balance.

photo credit: Government of Canada

U.S. to open border to fully vaccinated travelers starting today

Canadians waiting to get into the United States will have that chance as of today. Those travelers need to be fully vaccinated. Those who fly into the United States will need proof of vaccination and a pre-departure negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of boarding their flight.

The United States is not requiring that negative COVID-19 test for land and passenger ferry crossings. Canada is requiring a molecular test, such as a PCR test, to get back into Canada.

Canadians with mixed vaccines will be allowed into the United States. WHO-approved vaccines include Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and its Indian-made counterpart, Covishield. 

The CBC News report (above) noted that Canadians can get a COVID-19 test done before they leave Canada if they are doing a day trip.

This issue of the negative test will limit border crossings mostly to people living very near the border.

Good thing the countries are coordinating on this. #sarcasm

Opening Day for fully vaccinated Americans to cross into Canada with caveats

August 9 is the date fully vaccinated Americans can cross into Canada with some fine print

The timing is really good for snowbirds who normally leave about this time of the year for southern states in the U.S. They won't have to worry about a negative molecular test until spring 2022, when the policy may be different (hopefully).

Canadian hotel rooms are nice just not $2,000 nice

How COVID-19 is affecting Canadian snowbirds

CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage

Your humble narrator would love to do a casual trip to Canada for a day to walk around, buy some ketchup chips, and throw away trash in a conveniently found trash bin in Canada.

The negative COVID-19 molecular test makes that more difficult. A false positive or a real positive can thwart travel plans. Planning a trip once you get a negative COVID-19 test result means very little time for that planning.

Feel free to share stories in the comments section if you have an uplifting story or even a frustrating story involving travel between Canada and the United States.

Where to visit Canada in 2021

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

When we finally cross the Canadian border, we will so appreciative on being on Canadian soil.

video and photo credit: CBC News

Looking back on past versions of the Windsor International Film Festival

The Windsor International Film Festival has served as a gateway to Canadian film. The 2019 version has incredible momentum and the future was inspiring.

The 2020 and 2021 versions were lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has played havoc over the last couple of years.

Film festivals offer dilemmas over which film to see. None of them were a real-life Sophie's Choice. You make a good or fair best decision 8 or 9 times out of 10. You roll the dice that you will find a film later on. Sometimes, a film slips through your fingers.

We thought showing some of those choices would be a fun way to celebrate the spirit of the Windsor International Film Festival. This is not an exercise in sour grapes. Film festivals are full of these decisions, each with an art and science to them.

A look back to past years of the Windsor International Film Festival

Windsor International Film Festival cancels the 2021 festival

Windsor International Film Festival cancels the 2020 festival

2010

A late night slot in the Windsor International Film Festival had 2 promising films, each of them only playing once: Daydream Nation or We're The Weakerthans, We're From Winnipeg

Your humble narrator had never heard of the Weakerthans. Kat Dennings had some name recognition with the 2008 film Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with Michael Cera (Canadian).

Picked Daydream Nation. That film was more likely to show up elsewhere. I did see that film outside the festival as well. I eventually found We're The Weakerthans, We're From Winnipeg on YouTube.

Film festivals allow us to know of films such as the Weakerthans documentary that we otherwise would not know. This way, I eventually saw both films and enjoyed them on different levels.

2019 WIFF Canadian films in review

2019

"There were a number of films that we could not cover during the film festival. Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band was the most prominent film. We will cover the film in a separate film review. Lie Exposed and For Those Who Don't Read Me were fiction films that we really wanted to cover. Hope is not high to find either film but we hope for hope."

You would think a 10-day film festival would have enough room.

Genese (Philippe Lesage) instead of For Those Who Don't Read Me (Yan Giroux)

There was a chance to find Genese though by the time of the 2019 festival, the film had been out for a year. There was no chance of finding For Those Who Don't Read Me. I met Yan Giroux when he was out with 1:54.

Picked Genese for its reputation. I have had chances to see Genese since then but no shot at seeing For Those Who Don't Read Me.

Sometimes, the safe decision becomes the de facto call.

We Are Gold (Eric Morin) instead of Lie Exposed (Jerry Ciccoritti)

I saw We Are Gold alone in an 800-seat theatre. While the story might have been enough, glad I picked We Are Gold. Lie Exposed seemed cheesy and more likely to be found later. Still haven't seen Lie Exposed. I might find the film for rent online.

Far Shore (David Uloth) via Antigone (Sophie Deraspe) instead of Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band (Daniel Roher)

A 3-way decision is highly rare in film festival circles. I could guarantee 2 of the 3 films. Antigone was an obvious choice since that was the nomination for the Academy Awards. Far Shore would be difficult to find while Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band had an excellent chance of showing up later. While there was FOMO anxiety in waiting to see the Band documentary, this was a good decision.

Far Shore was a good film, not great. I've seen all 3 films, which is the ideal goal.

2018 WIFF Canadian films in review

2018

Just A Breath Away starred one of my favourite French actors. I did eventually see Just A Breath Away. Not a very good film and Canadian in name only. I didn't pick a magical film in that timeslot. I likely had dinner or a walk.

Sometimes, food and exhaustion win out in a film festival.

2014 Windsor International Film Festival wrapup

2014

I would go back and watch In Her Place if I had known Albert Shin would be so prominent. as he has become, I would have been more interested. Haven't found a way to watch this film yet.

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

The Windsor International Film Festival has given me the chance to see so many Canadian film titles that have been informative, entertaining, and both. Angry Inuk will stay with me. Trigger is a treasured film for me. The impact of Meditation Park forced me to go outside and get tears out before going back in for another film.

Giant Little Ones; Level 16; Cas and Dylan; And The Birds Rained Down; Window Horses; Empire of Dirt; Starbuck; My Internship in Canada; All the Wrong Reasons; Mommy; Tu Dors Nicole; Picture Day.

Please let this be the last year I write such a story, mourning the loss of what has been the best week of my life. The 2022 Windsor International Film Festival will be a glorious time.

logo credit: Windsor International Film Festival
photo credit: Daydream Nation film; me
video credit: YouTube/Film Movement

Getting to BMO Field in Toronto should be a good experience

Toronto is the largest city in Canada so getting around the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in rush hour can produce some heartbreaking stories.

3 Down Nation, a Web site devoted to the CFL, featured such a story. This person was traveling from Mississauga to BMO Field for last week's midweek CFL game with the Ottawa RedBlacks in Toronto.

He was staying in town for a conference in a Mississauga hotel. We don't know which one; he did note that BMO Field was 17 kilometres away.

He left his hotel at 5:45 pm, took a free shuttle to Pearson airport, took the UP Express to Union Station, and finally traveled on the GO train on the Lakeshore West line one stop west to Exhibition.

He arrived at Union Station at 7 pm — kickoff was 7:30 pm — but had to wait 45 minutes for the GO train at that hour. He ended up missing the first quarter.

"Two hours and 10 minutes to get to a place 17 kilometres away. Yikes."

I would bet good money that the concierge didn't give him the best possible route. My business trip past shows that people who normally drive don't know good transit options.

Let's help out the weary CFL traveler. I took a cursory look at the GO train map as well as the Toronto subway map for about 10 minutes.

We don't know where he was staying within Mississauga. He might not have known there were GO train options in Mississauga (cheaper than the UP Express $12.35 cost). He really might not have known there was a GO train station in Mississauga on the Lakeshore West line: Port Credit (30 Queen Street East) is on the Lakeshore West route, 3 stops west of Exhibition.

A cab ride to Port Credit might have been a lot. There might be buses from his hotel to the Port Credit station but we don't know where he stayed. Getting 3 stops away on the GO train would have cut a lot of time off his trip, bypassing Pearson and Union Station.

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

This is not to say every traveler is going to know how to navigate well in a strange situation. Having good travel options, researched as well as you can, improve your travel odds. I thought I had researched how to get to the football stadium at Moncton, New Brunswick for Touchdown Atlantic. Finding a bus stop proved harder since there weren't that many signs.

Waited a long time for a bus to get to the Green Line to get to a Montréal Expos game in 2004 and missed the beginning of the game. Back then, tracking transit wasn't viable on a phone.

He wasn't the only one concerned about more trains between Union Station and Exhibition. 

I had my own fun trip to get to BMO Field. My plan was to take the King streetcar west to the Dufferin Gate Loop. The King streetcar suddenly stopped at Bathurst not going any further west.

The Bathurst streetcar went to the Exhibition Loop, so a longer walk to get to the stadium. I took the GO train back to Union Station after the game.

CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage

"Getting to BMO Field in Toronto is a terrible experience" — the 3 Down Nation headline on the story.

The BMO Field attendance figures have been dismal. The Toronto Argonauts have spent most of the season at the top of the East Division and are undefeated at home. The team didn't even draw half of what they were allowed for that Wednesday game and that night was a celebration of the 1991 Grey Cup winners.

The walking distance from Union Station to Rogers Centre (below map) is 900 metres, about a ½ mile walk. The GO train trip is only one stop west and puts you in a great position to get to the stadium. The TTC streetcars get you pretty close to the stadium.

The BMO Field facilities are gorgeous with great sightlines for football, much better than SkyDome. I've seen Argos games in both places, not even a close comparison. TTC and GO could work on improved transportation on the days of Argonauts home games.

We know fans of Toronto FC of MLS don't have trouble getting to BMO Field.

Getting to BMO Field may never be a great experience but should be a better experience, even if traveling from Mississauga. The trip isn't the primary reason why attendance has dropped for the CFL in Toronto. Every little improvement will help draw football fans to the Exhibition place.

photos credit: GO Transit
map credit: Google

Improving train travel options between the United States and Canada

Flying to and from the United States and Canada is fairly easy, depending on your destination.

As we learned from Greyhound leaving Canada permanently, the exceptions were noted for bus travel between the countries: New York City (via Buffalo) to Toronto; New York City and Boston to Montréal; and Seattle to Vancouver.

Taking the train from the United States to Canada offers similar options. The Maple Leaf train runs Toronto-Niagara Falls-Syracuse-Albany-New York City. Amtrak goes New York City to Montréal. The West Coast swing finishes with Seattle to Vancouver.

Opening Day for fully vaccinated Americans to cross into Canada with caveats

August 9 is the date fully vaccinated Americans can cross into Canada with some fine print

One obvious missing area is Chicago via Detroit to Toronto. You can certainly travel by train from Chicago to Detroit and Toronto to Windsor. You can't travel by train from Detroit to Windsor. You used to be able to travel by bus from Chicago to Toronto via Detroit and Windsor; the loss of Greyhound means you can get to Detroit and then use other options to cross into Canada.

The map (above) is designed by the "Amtrak Connects US" plan to connect the Wolverine line from Detroit to Toronto.

The best route to get from Detroit to Windsor involving trains is to get off at Detroit, take a local bus 2.7 miles (4.3 km) to the bus that gets you across the border into Windsor, take a local bus from downtown (no transfers from the Tunnel Bus) to the Via Rail train station 2.2 miles (3.5 km).

Greyhound charged a large amount to cross on the bus but seems like a dream compared to that misadventure.

The Amtrak Connects plan also calls for extending the Vermonter line from St Albans, Vermont to Montréal.

How the Canada-U.S. border closure has affected border towns

Where to visit Canada in 2021

The one place we hadn't expected help was from the U.S. Congress. The proposed $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill could make that border crossing by train much easier.

One idea is expanding the U.S. border pre-clearance capabilities to rail service. Those who have flown from Canada to the United States know the drill of receiving pre-clearance in a Canadian airport with no delays once you land in the United States.

Greyhound leaves Canada for good

You could argue — before Greyhound abandoned Canada — that a bus from Chicago to Toronto was preferable to a train since the bus is cheaper and usually makes better time. While your humble narrator rides buses with ease, there is a significant group of travelers who prefer the train and really have a concern with traveling by bus.

Asking tourists to find transportation from the Detroit train station or Greyhound bus station is a lot for some travelers. The idea of ease with train travel in crossing the border would make a trip to Canada much more tempting.

Canada election 2021: The pressure of the final week of the campaign

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

As we noted during the Canadian election, there was no talk about what Canada would do with intercity bus travel.

Years ago, I looked into a bus from Fargo, North Dakota to Winnipeg, Manitoba. There was no bus, Greyhound or otherwise. No buses from Montana to Calgary. Buses, trains: let's invest in transportation options between Canada and the United States.

photo credits: Amtrak; Greyhound Canada