If you go to Canada by airplane, you must have the PR card

However, if you drive to Canada, you can get in with the landing paper and Visa.

Tell you what, you may eventually receive the card anyway. I was told that my photo didn't meet the standard and I had to get a new photo in order to get the card. I ignore them and planned to go to Canada later using visa, because there was no way I would go back to Canada during that time. Two months later they sent me the card anyway.