Hopefully they live up to their reputation for being polite!
The Canadian region of Niagara is bracing for an influx of up to 1 million visitors for next month's total solar eclipse — prompting a state of emergency ahead of the gathering.
Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley invoked Ontario's provincial Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act on Thursday "out of an abundance of caution," according to a news release issued that day.
The path of the April 8 eclipse will make the region "one of the best places in Canada" to watch it, and Bradley's move allowed the government to cancel programs and services and close buildings in an attempt to minimize traffic on local roads, the government said.
The total eclipse will be the first visible in Ontario since 1979 and National Geographic has recommended the city of Niagara Falls as an ideal viewing spot, according to the Associated Press.
Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said earlier this month that he expected the event would set a record for the city's most visitors in a single day.
That could cause massive traffic jams, increased emergency calls and overloaded cellphone networks.
In a prepared statement, Bradley said local officials, first responders and community organizations were "working together diligently to make sure our community is able to offer a safe and unforgettable experience, both for our visitors, and for all those who call Niagara home."
"On April 8, the spotlight will be on Niagara as thousands of visitors join us to share in this once-in-a-lifetime event, and we will be ready to shine," Bradley said.
Plans already in place call for the cancellation of dental and vaccination clinics, the "Triple P" parenting course, an adult day program and both in-person and online exercise classes for seniors, according to the region's office website.
Six child and family centers will be shuttered, as will three public health offices, a senior center and the satellite office of Niagara Region Headquarters.
Most schools will also be closed, and the Niagara government urged parents to have childcare plans in place if they'll be at work and to make sure their kids know how to safely watch the eclipse.
That generally involves wearing special glasses or viewing devices that reduce visible sunlight to safe levels and block almost all solar ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
Bradley's emergency declaration followed a similar decision in Bell County, Texas, which also lies in the path of the eclipse.
Bell County Judge David Blackburn, who presides over the county government, predicted that the number of tourists would likely double its population of 400,000 residents, ABC News reported last month.
During the eclipse, the moon will pass in front of the sun and completely block its face in the path of totality, causing the sky to darken as if it were dawn or dusk, according to NASA.
It will begin in continental North America on Mexico's Pacific coast and travel in a northeastern direction across the U.S. and Canada before exiting Newfoundland, Canada.
Major American cities that will experience totality include Dallas; Little Rock, Arkansas; Cleveland and Buffalo, New York.
