An annular solar eclipse rises over construction cranes and the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, June 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
Parts of five provinces in Central and Eastern Canada will be in the path of a total solar eclipse on April 8.
Major tourist destinations such as Montreal and Niagara Falls are expecting visitors from across the country, but eclipse chasers have a number of cities and towns to choose from.
Ontario
Kingston: Public places open for eclipse viewing include Lake Ontario Park, Fort Henry, LaSalle Secondary School, Maple Elementary School, Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area, Jim Beattie Park, J.R. Henderson Public School and Lion’s Civic Gardens & Isabel Turner Library, among others.
Niagara: Public viewing areas in the Niagara Falls region include Old Fort Erie, Kingsbridge Park, Sandie Bellows Plaza at the Niagara Parks Power Station and Tunnel, Table Rock Centre, Queen Victoria Park, Oakes Garden Theatre, Botanical Gardens, Niagara Glen and Queenston Heights Park.
Port Colborne: The city will offer a number of public viewing points, including Vale Health and Wellness Centre, Lock 8 Gateway Park, Sugarloaf Harbour Marina, Downtown Port Colborne, Nickel Beach, Centennial Cedar Bay Beach and H. H. Knoll Lakeview Park.
Other places in the path of totality include: Burlington, St. Catharines, Belleville, Brockville and Cornwall.
Quebec
Montreal: People can watch the eclipse at several spots including the Science Centre, Parc Jean-Drapeau, and Old Port. There will be a viewing party at McGill University with activities and other educational demonstrations on campus. Mount Royal Park also falls in the path of totality.
Sherbrooke: The town’s nature science museum is inviting visitors to the Maison de l’eau in Lucien-Blanchard Park for a viewing party on the day of the eclipse. Bishop’s University is also hosting viewers at the campus.
Other places in the path of totality include Drummondville and Havre-Aubert.
New Brunswick:
Fredericton: The provincial capital is hosting an eclipse fest with multiple activities planned for the day. For the viewing, the city is inviting people to lower Carlton Street where the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada will assist eclipse watchers.
Miramichi: The town is hosting viewers at Miramichi-Chatham Airport which has a capacity of about 1,500 vehicles in the parking lot.
Other places in New Brunswick include Caribou.
Prince Edward Island:
Summerside and Cavendish are among the places on the Island where the full eclipse will be visible.
Mill River Resort, near Woodstock, is hosting a total solar eclipse viewing.
Parts of Prince County and northern parts of Queen’s County also fall in the path of totality.
Newfoundland and Labrador:
St. John’s: Johnson Geo Centre is hosting a viewing party for people, though the provincial capital will see only a partial eclipse.
The full eclipse will be visible in Gander before the path moves into the Atlantic. Johnson Geo Centre has organized a bus tour to Gander from St. John’s with viewing at the College of the North Atlantic campus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2024.
