Okay here's my experience.
8.30-11.30am EST: scheduled phone call, doesn't not arrive
11.30am-12.15 EST: I called CIC to find out info. She said sorry it's a pilot and didn't know why nobody called. Her advice:
- Respond to the original email again and see if they reschedule something/call later
- In the meantime she put in a request for a physical appointment at the local Vancouver visa office.
- If the phone call happens to occur before then, I should call up and cancel the office appointment.
- The COPR is valid for either option. She did not advise me to return it.
12.30pm EST: Canada immigration call me. This is my interview one hour late!!! She said there was a mixup with time zones and she didn't want to wake me up at 5.30am. I told her I have been waiting by the phone for four hours in the dark
. Since my spouse had to leave for work she could not conduct the landing without him so suggested keeping the physical appointment.
Extremely annoying but at least I know it is real and we are confirmed now. Also hopefully this helps others who have been misinformed about returning their COPRs that did not arrive on time.
Phew!