ETA Canada Travel Pass News

Sun Country Airlines launches direct flight to Toronto.

It is expected that Toronto residents will have more opportunities to choose flights when visiting the United States.

Sun Country Airlines, an American low-cost airline, recently planned to operate direct flights between Minneapolis, St. Paul and Toronto starting in June 2024.

Sun Country Airlines, an airline founded in 1982, has Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as its hub and mainly operates routes to Caribbean countries and the United States.

According to the airline, the section will be operated twice a week in round trips from June to September 2024, and the number of flights will be adjusted depending on usage thereafter.

In addition, Sun Country Airlines will also begin operating new routes between Minnesota and Montreal airports.

Lack of caffeine warning and ingredient labeling.

Health Canada is launching an additional recall of the high-caffeine drink ‘Monster.’

The Ministry of Health previously issued a recall order for Monster beverages in August.

Health Canada said, “There are many products that have recently been distributed on the market that violate the government’s ingredient labeling regulations. Accordingly, we are issuing a recall order for these products.”

According to relevant regulations, high-caffeine beverages must display a warning saying, ‘Contains a high dose of caffeine’ and list the ingredients in both English and French.

An official from the Ministry of Health warned, “Please do not consume the recalled beverage products and return them to the place of purchase. It is also illegal to resell the recalled beverage products to others.”

Average annual spending of $4,294 for visits and support

Fans who enjoy sports in Canada appear to prefer visiting the stadium in person rather than watching the game on TV.

According to a survey conducted jointly by Expedia, an online travel and lodging reservation site, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, 42% of respondents said, “I prefer to visit the stadium in person to watch and cheer.” responded.

Additionally, the amount paid annually for this purpose was found to be $4,294 on average per year.

For soccer fans, the average annual spending was $4,700, which was higher than the average, and for ice hockey fans, it was significantly lower than the average at $1,291.

By sport, 47% of respondents said they would go to watch hockey within the next year, followed by 21% for baseball, soccer, and basketball.

Regarding the reason why they prefer to visit the stadium in person, 55% of respondents answered, ‘Because it is fun to cheer on the team with other people.’
47% of respondents answered that visiting the stadium was ‘an opportunity to gather with family, friends, etc.’ and 30% answered ‘because the facilities and additional events in the stadium are fun.’

In this survey, when it comes to questions about reasons, each respondent can choose several things at the same time, so the total can exceed 100%.

Forced sales of real estate (Power of Sale) are on the rise in the Greater Toronto Area due to the increased burden of mortgage interest.

Forced sales in Toronto increased from 24 cases per month as of February last year to 105 cases in February this year and have increased by nearly 10% per month since July, currently reaching the threshold of 150 cases per month.

However, after checking with the industry, it appears that the situation of Koreans is still far from being forced to sell.

According to Canada Hana Bank, although the delinquency rate, which was close to 0%, has slightly increased, there has been only one customer in all of Canada who lost their home due to a forced sale over the past three years.

The bank said, “It is true that customers’ interest burden has increased, and monthly payments are often delayed by a few days. However, due to the nature of Koreans, most people pay their monthly payments faithfully, and those who own multiple homes are more likely to be late in their payments. “I tend to organize things in advance before they occur.”

First Financial CEO Han Su-ji also reported a similar situation. He said, “It’s been 14 years since the company opened, and there hasn’t been a single Power of Sale case. Korean customers are very sensitive to being forced to lose their homes, so there have been no cases of forced sales even for those who rented from private lenders.” However, as the monthly payment burden increases, Koreans are struggling just fine.

Representative Han said, “There are customers who have been requesting deferment for several months due to an emergency situation where they are unable to pay their monthly payments. Also, as the burden is heavy on those who own multiple homes, inquiries about sale and repayment are more frequent than before. “It has more than tripled,” he said.

In Canada, more than 100,000 mortgage renewals occur every month, many of which are concentrated in the Greater Toronto Area.

Experts said, “Many of those renewing their mortgages these days were paying fixed interest rates in the 1% range, but it is inevitable that the shock will be severe when the interest burden suddenly rises to the 6% range. Koreans are holding on well so far, but I am worried about the future.” collected.

The city of Toronto is limiting the number of Uber and Lyft vehicles in the name of reducing city exhaust gases.

According to the plan passed by a vote of 16-7 at the city council on the 11th, the city of Toronto will suspend issuing new licenses for ride-sharing services Uber and Lyft for the time being.

Mayor Olivia Chow and others argued that limiting the number of Uber and Lyft vehicles would not only reduce exhaust gases but also prevent intensifying competition to attract customers. It is also expected that drivers’ income will increase as a result.

According to city council members who supported the limit on the number of vehicles, the income of many Uber and Lyft drivers is very poor, around $7 per hour.

The number of these vehicles currently registered in Toronto is estimated to be around 52,000 to 53,000.

However, in response to the city of Toronto’s decision, Uber warned, “If the city limits the number of vehicles, customer waiting times will be longer and fares will eventually rise.”

The Ontario Pharmacists Association has proposed to the Ministry of Health that contraceptives be added to pharmacists’ prescription lists, raising concerns about whether birth control pills will be available to be purchased at pharmacies without a doctor’s prescription starting next year.

Since January of this year, the Ontario Ministry of Health has designated 13 symptoms, including urinary tract infection, allergic rhinitis, and viral conjunctivitis, that can be prescribed directly at pharmacies, and many Koreans have received prompt treatment through these.

Also, starting this month, six symptoms were added: acne, stomatitis, diaper rash, fungal infection, parasitic infection, and dizziness during pregnancy, but contraceptive pills are omitted from the list.

Justin Bates, president of the Ontario Pharmacists Association, announced his position, saying, “The authority for pharmacists to prescribe contraceptives is necessary to solve women’s health problems. We hope that pharmacists in the province will be able to prescribe contraceptives next year.”

In this regard, Korean pharmacists have a positive evaluation of the expansion of pharmacists’ prescribing authority but are cautious about contraceptives.

Central Pharmacy said, “We believe that the list of symptoms allowed so far is reasonable enough to reduce waiting times for patients and provide quick treatment. There were many cases of delayed treatment because Koreans prefer to receive treatment from Korean doctors, but this year, there were many cases where treatment was delayed. “From now on, many people began to quickly receive treatment through pharmacies for cystitis, conjunctivitis, allergic rhinitis, etc.,” he said, positively evaluating the effectiveness of the pharmacist prescription system.

However, the pharmacy said, “In Korea, morning-after pills require a prescription and regular contraceptives can be easily purchased, but here, on the contrary, seeing a doctor is essential to obtain regular contraceptives. This is because there are many cases of long-term use of regular contraceptives and cardiovascular diseases. “This is because there is a risk of side effects if you have or smoke, and there is a need for social consensus on whether or not the level of judgment is serious enough to require seeing a doctor,” he explained.

Thornhill Galleria Pharmacy also supports the pharmacist prescription system, but its position is that we must be cautious when it comes to contraceptives. After implementing pharmacist prescriptions, Thornhill Galleria Pharmacy also received many patients with mosquito-related skin problems, blisters, indigestion, cystitis, allergic rhinitis, etc., and provided prompt help to them.

However, regarding contraceptive pills, “It is a drug related to hormones, and there are more people experiencing side effects than expected, so it is true that there are concerns about pharmacists prescribing them. Also, since contraceptive pills are used for various purposes such as menopause, acne, and menstrual irregularities, you should check with your doctor to determine your use.” “You need to go through the process of finding a medicine that suits your constitution,” he explained.

However, he added, “I have already found a drug that suits me, but it is inconvenient to have to see a doctor every time to get a re-prescription, so in the case of Renew, I think it would be okay to fall within the pharmacist’s authority.”

A, a Korean woman in her 30s who requested anonymity, said, “It’s not a pill that can be taken for a month or two, and it’s too cumbersome to have to see a doctor to get a prescription for birth control pills. That’s why there are many Korean women who buy birth control pills in Korea and find them on Korean community sites. “There are many cases of buying and selling. At this level, I think it is right to just release it so that people can buy the contraceptive pill that suits them at the pharmacy.”

The cost of pet transport services for travelers to bring their dogs to Toronto has risen significantly.

Mr. S, who lives in Toronto, said, “The key fee for bringing a pet from Korea was about $500, excluding quarantine and transportation fees, but it doubled to $1,000 after the pandemic. The fee for bringing a pet to Toronto only through a company, not a passenger, is “It amounts to $3,600,” he said.

As long-distance overseas travel increases due to the COVID-19 pandemic, volunteer work to take adopted dogs abroad is also gaining popularity.

Eo Yoon-ah (32), an office worker who adopts and raises abandoned dogs, became interested after seeing singer Lee Hyo-ri announce her mobile service on the entertainment program ‘Canada Check-in’ at the end of last year. As he was planning to go on vacation to New York, USA this month, he contacted two animal-related organizations he knew and applied for mobile volunteer work.

When Mr. Eo booked plane tickets to New York, he also provided space for two dogs. He completed customs paperwork at the New York airport and handed over the dogs he had taken in checked baggage to their new owners.

Mr. Eo said, “I am interested in animal welfare, but it is not easy to take action directly, such as volunteering at a shelter.” He added, “If you add minimal effort to travel and business trips, you can help new lives for animals waiting for a home indefinitely at the shelter.” “There is no reason not to do it,” he said.

In online communities and social media, you can easily find posts sharing experiences of overseas volunteer service or asking about methods.

One netizen said, “The family I went with was reluctant to send luggage for a stranger, and I was anxious about quarantine and customs,” and “But upon arriving in New York, the warm eyes of the immigration officer looking at the pet dog made it seem as if the adopter had met her first child. “It was touching to see him so happy,” he wrote.

The animal rights group CARE reported that it has recently received more than 10 applications per month for mobile volunteer service to the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Kim Young-hwan, CEO of Care, said, “Overseas mobile volunteering has been done in the past, but the influence of the media has definitely been significant. Applications have increased by more than 50% since Hyo-ri Lee’s broadcast at the end of last year.”

Animal Rights Action Kara received a total of 435 mobile volunteer applications last year. Of these, 141 cases that met the schedule and airline conditions were successful.

A KARA official said, “As applications for overseas mobile volunteer work have appeared in the media and the number of travelers going abroad has increased as COVID-19 has been lifted, the number of applications has increased compared to before.”

KAWS (real name: Brian Donnelly), who has a great reputation in the field of pop art, is holding his first exhibition in Canada at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO – 317 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M5T 1G4).

Kaws’ work has received great attention around the world and has been met by the public in various forms. They received a lot of love from the public by showing a variety of works, from album covers to uniquely designed collectibles and large-scale installations that have become landmarks in many cities around the world.

Active in Brooklyn, Kaws has established himself as a major influence in the world of pop art with his unique large-scale sculptures and cartoonish style. His artistic sense has been widely recognized by fans around the world, and he is actively collaborating with various brands.

In particular, he has collaborated with musicians such as international star Kanye West to present amazing works. He has also broadened his artistic spectrum by partnering with leading luxury brands such as Dior and Chanel.

When ‘The Kaws Album’, one of Donnelly’s representative works, was put up for auction in April 2019, it was traded for a whopping $14.8 million, clearly showing the global interest in and value of his work.

‘KAWS: FAMILY’ will be exhibited at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) at the end of September this year. In this exhibition, a total of 75 works, including murals, sketches, paintings, sculptures, unique phone booth advertisements, and various brand collaboration products, will be presented to the audience.

A work that deserves particular attention in the exhibition is ‘FAMILY (2021),’ a giant statue depicting Cowes’ four representative characters in the form of a family. This statue is located at the centre of the exhibition and provides visitors with a deep insight into his world of art.

99% of labor unions in the three companies, including GM, are in favor of the strike.

Canadian union members of the three automakers voted in favor of a strike last weekend, raising a sense of crisis in the car market. Vehicles being built at Ford’s Oakville plant.

There is a possibility that there will be a supply disruption in the Canadian automobile market.

Over the weekend, 99% of the labor unions of General Motors (GM), Ford and Stellantis (14 brands including Chrysler) overwhelmingly supported the strike.

The collective contract between these labor unions and the company demanding better treatment expires on the 18th of next month.

If negotiations between labor and management do not reach an agreement to renew the contract, there will inevitably be disruptions in the production and supply of vehicles from these three companies in the North American market.

According to employment statistics released by Statistics Canada on September 8, the number of employed people increased by 40,000 people (up 0.2%) in August, and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.5%. The unemployment rate had been rising for three consecutive months in May, June, and July, but has stopped decreasing for the first time in four months.

By industry, employment increased by 52,000 people (2.8%) in professional, scientific, and technical services and 34,000 people (2.2%) in construction. On the other hand, the number decreased by 44,000 (2.9%) in the education services industry and 30,000 (1.6%) in the manufacturing industry.

By region, the number of deaths increased by 18,000 (0.7%) in Alberta, 12,000 (0.4%) in British Columbia, 1,800 (2.0%) in Prince Edward Island, and 3,600 in Nova Scotia. The number of self-employed people increased by 50,000 people (up 1.9%) in August, the first significant increase in nine months.

The average hourly wage increased by 4.9% in August, increasing by $1.56 to $33.47, following a 5.0% increase in July.