IMMIGRATION SPONSOR PROGRAM REVERTS TO LOTTERY

A popular immigration program that allows people to sponsor their parents or grandparents to come to Canada is reverting to a lottery system. Federal Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced the relaunch of the program Monday, saying it will open Oct. 13. It ordinarily opens in January but was delayed this year as officials sought to revamp the system after a first-come, first-served approach buckled under excessive demand last year. The government says it will accept 10,000 applications this year.