Premier Tim Houston says all remaining COVID-19 restrictions in Nova Scotia will be lifted by March 21st.  Houston says the trend in infections in the province is pointing to a “return to normalcy” by then.   On Monday, Phase 1 of the Province’s reopening plan will be adjusted to end the current requirement to show proof of full vaccination before participating in non-essential, discretionary events and activities. Other restrictions will continue.  Phase 2 will begin on March 7th.  Phase 3 will begin March 21st and see the removal of all provincial COVID-19 restrictions, including those at schools.

 

 

 

On Wednesday, Nova Scotia reported three new hospital admissions and four discharges. There are 49 people in hospital who were admitted due to COVID-19 and are receiving specialized care in a COVID-19 designated unit. That includes 11 people in ICU. An additional 200 new lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported Wednesday. There are an estimated 1,898 active cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia.

 

 

 

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ottawa is revoking the Emergencies Act because the blockades in Ottawa and at border crossings have been curbed. Governments invoked the special powers to help dispel a weeklong occupation in Ottawa and a lengthy blockade at a Canada-U-S border crossing in Windsor, Ontario among other anti-COVID mandate protests. Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time last week, saying police needed extra help to end blockades in downtown Ottawa and at key border crossings.

 

 

 

 

A panel of rural community leaders in central and northern Nova Scotia has told the inquiry into the mass shooting in April 2020 that the pandemic has stalled the grieving process. The head of the Colchester Adult Learning Association testified that restrictions on social gatherings had undermined the strong sense of community common in rural areas. Mary Teed says feelings of anger, sadness and grief remain raw nearly two years after a gunman impersonating a Mountie killed 22 people.

 

The Nova Scotia government has appointed a mediator to try to help reach a settlement to end a three-week-old strike by faculty at Acadia University. Labour Minister Jill Balser says William Kaplan is an experienced mediator with a “proven track record.” He is to begin non-binding mediation with the Acadia University Faculty Association and the university’s administration on Saturday. Classes at the school located in Wolfville have been cancelled since the 350 members of the faculty association walked off the job February 1st.

 

The postponed Maritime Junior Hockey League game on February 3rd between the Valley Wildcats and the Pictou County Weeks Crushers at the Pictou County Wellness Centre has been rescheduled to February 26th at 7 p.m. It will be Pictou County’s home game for the Metalfab MHL First Responders Week, with both teams wearing specially designed jerseys.