Here in Timmins, our radar coverage is nil below 10 000 feet. Normally, aircrafts who are at or drop below this altitude is usually around 30 nautical miles into the zone. The controller has mentioned that some pilots will request a contact approach in perfect VFR weather because 'they know the routine' when finalizing their approach when they know a visual cannot be approved. NavCanada's rule is a visual approach is designed for the controllers to monitor the aircraft's approach on radar and point out other VFR's. Here in Timmins, our FSS monitor aircrafts here 24/7 and up in Moosonnee Ontario during peak hours now. Our weather observations are 24/7 manned. A lot of the times, you hear: "You're cleared to the Timmins airport for an approach, and contact radio on 122.3" Sometimes, you'll hear the 'visual' or the 'contact' is approved. When I lived in the neighbouring sector, North Bay on 127.25, you always heard aircrafts to expect or plan the visual for whichever runway, because they are on radar until either landing or 1000 feet or 2, from final landing. And one final word is that controlers can no longer provide a 'provisional clearance' until the pilots requests the visual or ATC clears for the contact approach, in a non-radar environment.