Dogs now Allowed on Restaurant Patios, Sidewalk Cafes in Nova Scotia

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The province says pet dogs are now allowed on restaurant, bar and café patios (along with their owners, of course), saying it’s part of the Rankin government’s promise to remove unnecessary barriers for restaurants to meet customer needs. This change, which takes effect today, is also another way to support the food service industry that has been so severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Individual business owners can decide whether to allow pet dogs, limit the number of dogs or ask a customer to remove the pet if it is misbehaving. Restaurant owners who allow dogs must adhere to strict food safety guidelines, including:

-pet dogs will not be allowed inside restaurants; they will only be allowed on patios that can be accessed from the street
-dogs are not permitted to eat while at the restaurant but they can drink water from separate bowls brought by the owner
-restaurants with dog-friendly patios must post a sign so potential customers are aware before they sit down

 

In a late morning announcement, the N.S. government says it’s continuing to make virtual care options, such as telephone and videoconferencing, available for health professionals to connect with patients.  Physicians and regulated health professionals, including nurses, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists and others can continue to offer publicly funded services virtually until March 31, 2022.  The province says an evaluation of virtual health care will be completed before the extension ends to finalize a long-term approach.

 

Nova Scotia reports no new cases of COVID-19, 3 variant cases

No new cases of COVID-19 were reported yesterday in Nova Scotia, as the province announced that three previously reported cases have now been identified as variant cases. The variant, which was first identified in the U.K., was confirmed to be responsible for two cases in Nova Scotia’s central health zone and one in the eastern zone. Neither of the newly announced variant cases in the central zone is related to King’s Wharf in Dartmouth, which was the subject of a potential exposure notification over the weekend after a confirmed variant case from earlier this month. That case is considered resolved. At this time, public health says there is no sign of community spread from the variant cases. So far, Nova Scotia has seen 17 cases of the variant first found in the U.K., and 10 of the variant first found in South Africa. The active Covid-19 caseload has dropped down to 24, as there has been one new recovery since the weekend. One person is currently in the hospital.

Nova Scotia Health Public Health is advising of potential exposure to COVID-19 at three locations in the Central Zone on March 21st and two locations in the Northern Zone in the Elmsdale area on March 27th. Those locations are Elmsdale Superstore and Pizza Delight in the Elmsdale Plaza between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  All potential exposure notifications are listed here: http://www.nshealth.ca/covid-exposures

Canada’s vaccine advisory committee is recommending immediately suspending the use of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine in Canadians under 55 following reports of rare but potentially fatal blood clots in Europe that appear to be connected to the shot. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) updated its guidelines to provinces and territories against the use of the vaccine for younger Canadians yesterday over safety concerns. Health Canada says 300,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine have been administered and no cases of the rare blood clotting adverse events have been reported in Canada, but that it was aware of additional cases that have recently been reported in Europe.  Health officials in Nova Scotia said the updated recommendation will not impact vaccine rollout as the AstraZeneca vaccine is currently only being offered to people between the ages of 60 and 64. (With files from CBC)

 

Kyle Slaunwhite Appointed as Town of Pictou CAO

Kyle Slaunwhite has been appointed to the position of Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of Pictou effective on Monday (April 5th).  The motion to accept the recommendation was passed at a Special Meeting of Council held yesterday. Mr. Slaunwhite has been employed with the Town in various roles since 2006 including in his current position as Superintendent of Public Works since 2018. Mayor Jim Ryan expressed his pleasure with the appointment saying “Kyle has been an extremely knowledgeable and committed employee of the Town who displays a strong understanding of the needs of our community.” He says council looks forward to working with the new CAO on projects important to residents and business owners.

 

 

A family of four has been displaced by an overnight fire that heavily damaged the one-and-a-half-storey house they rented in Antigonish.  Canadian Red Cross volunteers are assisting a couple and their two children with emergency lodging and funds for clothing, food and other essential needs, plus referrals to other agencies for additional help. The fire on Court Street was reported around 4 a.m. today (Tuesday).

 

 

NOVA SCOTIA’S PREMIER DEFENDS EXTENSIVE CHANGES PROPOSED FOR BIODIVERSITY ACT

Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin is defending changes that remove more than half of a 20-page bill aimed at protecting the province’s biodiversity. Proposed changes to the Biodiversity Act, tabled Monday before the law amendments committee, eliminate whole sections dealing with enforcement and emergency orders and also modify the scope of the bill. Rankin told reporters during a virtual news event the bill is being revamped because private landlords, who own about 70 per cent of the province’s land, weren’t comfortable with the legislation. The premier says he believes most private owners will work with the government voluntarily to implement biodiversity management zones on their land. When it was introduced two weeks ago, the act initially allowed for enforcement measures on private land in order to protect endangered plants and animals, combat invasive species and preserve at-risk ecosystems. Rankin told reporters the changes are a “good start” in protecting the province’s ecology. (The Canadian Press)

 

N.S. HEALTH GIVES NON-PROFIT GRANT SEEKERS TOOLS TO SUCCEED

Nova Scotia Health is launching an online resource for non-profit organizations seeking funding for community programs. The website, called the Green Lights for Grants, is home to a series of interviews with funders, and provides insight and tips for grant writing, applications and funding processes for various opportunities. The province says the idea for the website came from the public engagement and community health board support team, which recognized there was a lack of grant-writing resources available to community groups. Green Lights for Grants is being launched in partnership with the Community Sector Council of Nova Scotia.