COVID-19 Info: NS Government Announces Additional Measures to Mitigate Spread of COVID-19

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March 18, 2020

March 18, 2020 — 6:00 PM 

Premier Stephen McNeil, chief medical officer of health Dr. Robert Strang, and Health and Wellness Minister Randy Delorey provided an update earlier today, March 18. A recording of the news conference is available on the NS Gov Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/nsgov.

Details of additional measures announced to further prevent the spread of COVID-19 and increase capacity within the health system to respond are outlined below:

Effective immediately:
  • doctors and pharmacists have new options for virtual care, using telephone and secure videoconferencing
  • pharmacists can renew prescriptions for most medications and government will cover the assessment fee
  • employers cannot require a doctor’s note if an employee must be off work
  • College of Physicians and Surgeons waiving the fee for retired doctors to renew their licences so they can come back to work
  • retired and other nurses are being brought into the system to assist with 811 staffing
  • all service providers funded through the Department of Community Services’ Disability Support Program – including social enterprises, day programs, and supported employment programs for adults with diverse abilities – will close to participants and the public
Effective midnight, Thursday, March 19:
  • personal service and fitness establishments such as hair salons, barbershops, spas, nail salons, body art establishments and gyms must shut down

The full news release is available at: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20200318004 and in French at: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20200318005.

NSHA and IWK have further restricted visitors and instituted other measures like online mental health supports and more assessment centres. More information is available at the links below:

A number of new resources have been developed for businesses and individuals, including:

These materials are also available in French: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/fr/

As announced earlier today, Nova Scotia has 12 cases of COVID-19, including nine presumptive and three confirmed cases. The news release is available at: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20200318001 and in French at https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20200318002.

We encourage you to share this information with your staff, board members and stakeholders. We also ask for your support on social media by sharing accurate information from the Department of Health and Wellness and Nova Scotia Government social media channels.

Follow them @nsheath and @nsgov on Twitter and https://www.facebook.com/NovaScotiaHealthAndWellness/and https://www.facebook.com/nsgov/ on Facebook.

Thank you for your interest and support.

COVID-19 Info: In-Person Services Suspended at WCB Nova Scotia Offices in Halifax and Sydney

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March 18, 2020

In-Person Services Suspended at WCB Nova Scotia Offices in Halifax and Sydney

Over the past few days, WCB Nova Scotia has been adapting our operations in response to COVID-19.

Effective tomorrow, Thursday, March 19, we will be suspending our in-person service. It’s very important to note that as an operation, we are not closed. Our services continue, and we continue to provide the important services we need to.

Suspending in-person service means:

– Our facilities will be closed to the public, including all front-desk services;
– PMI exams are cancelled, and are being rescheduled;
– Meetings and case conferences should happen by phone or video, where possible; and
– Field representative visits, workplace visits, and any other in-person services will be postponed.

This temporary suspension of in-person services is needed for the safety of our employees, and for those we serve. And it’s about our organization doing what we can to help reduce the spread of the virus.

We have made great progress in moving our employees to work remotely, in keeping with the government’s directive for public sector employees. This will continue. Where our employees need to be on-site, we have increased sanitation, are encouraging social distancing, and we continue to follow all directives of the Office of Public Health.

We are keeping our website and phone lines up to date with the information you need. We encourage you to contact us through our secure online services – MyAccount for employers or WCB Online for workers and tiered service providers. As always, you can call us at 1-800-870-3331 during regular business hours.

Thank you for helping us prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

COVID-19 Info: HRM closes customer service centres and Planning & Development counters

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March 19, 2020

Please see below an update from the HRM Planning and Development Leadership Team

March 19 – 9:24 AM

​Based on decisions made by the province of Nova Scotia on Tuesday, all customer service centres and Planning & Development counter services were closed to the public effective March 18, 2020. Staff at the centres will continue to work, focusing on administrative support that does not involve face-to-face customer service.

This decision was made with the health and safety of municipal employees, clients, and the general public in mind, as we work to slow the spread of the COVID19 Pandemic. An evaluation will take place during the next two weeks with an announcement to be made by April 3, 2020, on the future of in-person counter service during these unprecedented times.

An online service to receive construction permit applications and pay fees electronically is under development and will be operational early next week.


During the interim period between the closure and when an electronic solution is in place, Planning & Development staff will continue to process applications  currently in the queue and carry out regular inspections. The Municipality continues its commitment to process and issue permits in a timely manner, however, permit wait times may increase while we support social distancing and work from home protocols for our staff.

As always, Planning & Development staff are available for questions and guidance and can be reached by dialling 3-1-1.

For the latest updates regarding the status of municipal services, visit halifax.ca/coronavirusThank you for helping with the community effort to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

COVID-19 Info: NS declares state of emergency

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March 22, 2020

Premier McNeil announces state of emergency in Nova Scotia

Sunday, March 22 –

Premier Stephen McNeil has declared a provincial state of emergency in Nova Scotia as of Sunday morning, March 22, 2020. The move is an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 and will strengthen the special measures and restrictions on public movement already in place.

Among the new measures, Nova Scotia’s provincial borders will be tightened and self-isolation will be required for anyone who has travelled outside of the province. Gatherings are now restricted to groups of no more than five. Those in violation of the social-distancing and self-isolation orders will be issued fines.

“Fines for individuals found in breach of the orders are $1,000 for each offence each day, while business and corporations face $7,500 for every breach,” said Justice Minister Mark Furey.

“People can be fined on multiple days if they fail to comply with the law,” Furey said.

It should be noted that the government has identified several groups who are essential and exempt from gathering limits. They include but are not limited to grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies. If possible, one person per family should be designated to do these tasks. Other groups include construction sites, health-care services, community services (e.g. child protection) and criminal justice services, and law enforcement.

CANS is working closely with government to proactively provide leadership in a responsible, responsive and cooperative manner. Nova Scotia’s industries are looking not only for short term relief but also with an eye to the future to ensure that when this eventually passes, we will be in a position to ensure that the recovery period is as short as is possible.

Social distancing and self-isolation are no longer suggestions. Historically, the construction industry is well-versed in public safety, let us be leaders in our response to maintaining public safety and economic stability.

We further recommend that members clearly and deliberately demonstrate compliance and the strictest enforcement. Only if this occurs, will firms be able to operate. We also recommend that members take measures to ensure the security of their sites in the event that policy further restrict business operations in the coming days.

We will continue to seek clarification on interprovincial movement of goods and workers.

COVID-19 Info: GOC Release – Message to Contractors of the Government of Canada

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March 20, 2020

Please see below an update from Public Services and Procurement Canada.

Hello,

On March 19th, the following messages addressed to suppliers were posted on Buyandsell.gc.ca concerning Government of Canada procurement activities during the COVID-19 pandemic:

We invite you to visit these web pages for full details.

Thank you.

Reminder: Stay informed about tenders, website updates and procurement news by subscribing to the Email notification service.

COVID-19 Info: Premier – “We need the construction industry to still function”

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Friday, March 20, 2020

Premier: “We need the construction industry to still function”

The below comments were taken from an interview on Friday, March 20, 2020, with Premier Stephen McNeil on The Rick Howe Show.

“We need the construction industry to still function. We need that part of our economy to continue to work, to drive economic development and create employment opportunities for some of our citizens in an industry where you can actually be separate and practice social distancing on the job site. We need that part of our economy to continue to move forward while we work on ensuring that we flatten the curve on this virus here in our province.”

Listen to the full interview with the Premier here (select “The Rick Howe Show – 10 a.m.”)

COVID-19 Info: CANS recommends special measures supporting the continuation of construction projects in letter to Premier

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March 20, 2020

Dear Premier McNeil,

We would like to bring forward the following considerations as our government contemplates public health, economic and civil policy decisions, specifically relating to the construction industry. The Construction Association of Nova Scotia (CANS) recommends measures for the continuation of construction projects and does not support an industry-wide shutdown for the following reasons:

  • Public safety is our priority. There are very real physical, public safety considerations and human resources that must be considered. As an example, some sites will take days, weeks and potentially months to secure and this needs to be considered as policy decisions are made.
  • Our industry has an outstanding record for attention to safety and in recognizing the need to ensure the safety of our workforce along with the public. This has been demonstrated through statistical data and continues to improve.
  • The pandemic is bringing an economic downturn. Governments lean on stimulus spending to turn things around. Construction is the foundation of any stimulus spending.
  • The construction industry is well trained and is very accustomed to dealing with rapidly changing regulations. We have already adapted, and we are exercising social distancing on our sites successfully.
  • Any decision regarding the continuation of construction services should be done on a case by case basis and be decided based on whether or not Health Canada recommendations around COVID-19 can be met.
  • Construction sites across the sector vary greatly as does the level of risk for any infection. As such, it is important for government to understand, through consultation, the risk levels on a case by case basis.

We are a resource to you as your government contemplates responses to maintaining our public safety and economic stability. To that end we ask that you consider the following points as you make decisions in the coming days and weeks as it pertains to our industry, our role in the economy and our responsibilities as industry leaders:

We would encourage your administration to look at the potential of temporary measures such as:

  • Advanced tender releases wherever practical and recognizing the need to maintain safety protocols as theprime consideration
  • Economic interventions that assist employer and employee access to credit
  • Provide necessary economic assistance where employees are potentially displaced
  • Incentives that enable employers to maintain and sustain their workforces
  • Bring forward measures that will stabilize and encourage investment in infrastructure and private
  • investment in Nova Scotia, particularly addressing the recovery period
  • Suspend loan repayment interest and terms
  • Ensure that payments are made in the public and private sector and potentially lead this initiative by accelerating payments on TIR projects, etc.
  • Move to electronic bond acceptance immediately
  • Work with industry to understand the essential services requirements, in any potential move toward restricting construction activities
  • Tax, EI, WCB and CPP holidays for at least the next three months for employers and employees

These are our recommendations and considerations at this point. We want to work closely with government to proactively provide leadership in a responsible, responsive and cooperative manner. We also wish to provide an expeditious bilateral communication between government and industry stakeholders, and we look to you to the best way to do this. Nova Scotia’s industries are looking not only for short term relief, but also with an eye to the future to ensure that when this eventually passes, we will be in a position to ensure that the recovery period is as short as is possible.

We look forward to working together in these times of uncertainty.

Sincerely,

Duncan Williams
President & CEO, Construction Association of Nova Scotia

COVID-19 Info: NS government support announced for individuals and businesses

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March 24, 2020

The province has made the following announcements to support businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic:

  • Government will defer payments until June 30 for all government loans, including those under the Farm Loan Board, Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Board, Jobs Fund, Nova Scotia Business Fund, Municipal Finance Corp. and Housing Nova Scotia.
  • Government will defer payments until June 30 for small business renewal fees, including business registration renewal fees and workers compensation premiums (a list of fees will be posted online early next week).
  • Changes to the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program, administered through credit unions, include deferring principal and interest payments until June 30, enhancing the program to make it easier for businesses to access credit up to $500,000, and for those who might not qualify for a loan, government will guarantee the first $100,000.
  • Small businesses which do business with the government will be paid within five days instead of the standard 30 days
  • Suspending payments on Nova Scotia student loans for six months, from March 30 to Sept. 30 and students do not have to apply
  • Ensuring more Nova Scotians can access the internet to work from home, by providing $15 million as an incentive to providers to speed up projects under the Internet for Nova Scotia Initiative and complete them as soon as possible

The Government of Canada has funding and other resources available for Canadians and businesses.

COVID-19 Info: Health Protection Order helps clarify gathering limits

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Tuesday, March 24

Clarification: NS Construction sites among services exempt from 5-person limit 

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang issued a Health Protection Act Order on Monday, March 23, 2020, that helps to clarify the government’s measures and limits on gatherings.

Effective March 23, 2020, at 6:00 a.m., all persons residing in or present in the Province of Nova Scotia who:

3.1. enter Nova Scotia; or

3.2. are identified as a close contact of a person who has or has been diagnosed with COVID-19; or

3.3. are identified as a person diagnosed with COVID-19; or

3.4. have been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting the results of their test

must:

(a.) Remain in self-quarantine or self- isolation, as the case may be, for: (i) the period commencing on the day you enter Nova Scotia if you have crossed the border into Nova Scotia as per 3.1, or (ii) the first day of close contact, or first day of symptoms, testing, or diagnosis as per 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4.

and continuing thereafter for 14 consecutive calendar days or as directed by a medical officer of health

At this time, the construction sector is still considered an essential service and remains exempt from self-isolation requirements under clause 2. Regardless of exemptions, “ALL persons present and residing in Nova Scotia must maintain social distancing of two metres or six feet and keep social gatherings to 5 persons or less.”

We’ve included some key sections related to exemptions below, but those looking to read the full order can click here.

2. Workers who are essential to the movement of people and goods are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate or self-quarantine set out in clause 3.1.

3. Workers exempt under clause 2 must practice social distancing of two metres or six feet to the best of their ability, closely self-monitor, and must self-isolate or self-quarantine should they exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms (onset of cough, fever, or shortness of breath).

4. All persons present and residing in Nova Scotia must maintain social distancing of two metres or six feet and keep social gatherings to 5 persons or less.

5. Subject to specific closures or limitations directed elsewhere in this Order, all not-for-profit and for-profit businesses and organizations operating or carrying on business in 5 Nova Scotia may continue to operate but must implement social distancing of two metres or six feet.

7. For greater clarity, the 5-person rule referred to in Clause 6 does not apply to:

(a.) businesses and organizations who can maintain social distancing requirements such as grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations, convenience stores, construction sites, financial institutions, and agri-food and fish plants. 

(b.) Canadian Blood Services blood collection clinics.

On 22 March, the Province of Nova Scotia declared a state of emergency to help contain the spread of COVID-19. The state of emergency will be in effect for 14 days and may be renewed. The emergency order is valid until noon on 5 April 2020.

clarify gathering limits

COVID-19 Info – Message to Members from CANS President

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March 18, 2020: Message to Members from CANS President, Duncan Williams