Government of Newfoundland News

Justice and Public Safety

The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General, would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of the Support Enforcement Division of the Department of Justice and Public Safety.

Office of the Child and Youth Advocate

The Office of the Child and Youth Advocate is committed to supporting young people to learn about their rights. On National Child Day (November 20, 2019), the Office launched its first ever video contest. The contest invites young people in the province to get creative and develop a video on young people’s right to be free from discrimination. This right is contained in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Videos can address discrimination overall, or identify specific forms of discrimination.

Health and Community Services

The Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services, will officially launch the start of midwifery services in the province on Monday, January 6 at 9:30 a.m.

Fisheries and Land Resources

Reports of a polar bear have been confirmed on the Northern Peninsula near the community of Green Island Cove.

Office of the Lieutenant Governor

The Order of Newfoundland and Labrador is the province’s highest honour and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated excellence and achievement in any field of endeavour benefiting in an exemplary manner the province and its residents.

Health and Community Services

While recreational cannabis is legal in Canada, the Department of Health and Community Services is reminding people to be responsible and safe if they choose to use.

Natural Resources

The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, along with the Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board (C-NLOPB), are working together to increase competitiveness and provide regulatory certainty with respect to research and development expenditures by producing operators in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Fisheries and Land Resources

The Department of Fisheries and Land Resources continues to support economic development, growth and sustainability of the province's fisheries, forestry, agriculture, wildlife and lands resources. In 2019, the department also opened its new headquarters in Corner Brook, uniting more than 250 staff representing 17 of the department’s divisions under one roof, resulting in more effective and efficient operations, and reducing the Provincial Government’s overall footprint by more than 30,000 square feet.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Michael Harvey, has released his Report A-2019-032 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015. A summary of the Report is included below.

Transportation and Works

Department of Transportation and Works plow operators and winter maintenance crews will be working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Fisheries and Land Resources

Recent amendments to provincial forestry regulations making it easier for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador to access timber for personal consumption are now in effect.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

There are important steps seniors, their families, and care providers can take to help reduce the risk of fire, including:

Executive Council

Due to pending weather, all Provincial Government offices in Newfoundland and Labrador will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday, December 24), except for those employees who have otherwise been advised by their departments to report to work.

Natural Resources

The Natural Resources Building, located at 50 Elizabeth Avenue in St.John’s, will be closed for today (Monday, December 23) due to water pressure issues. An update will be provided as more information becomes available.

Fisheries and Land Resources

The motoring public is reminded to exercise caution when travelling the Northern Peninsula on roadways located between St. Anthony Airport and Eddies Cove and roadways located between St. Anthony Airport and the Town of Main Brook.

Service NL

Enhancements to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulations to help improve workplaces in Newfoundland and Labrador will come into effect on January 1, 2020.

Fisheries and Land Resources

A member of the Department of Fisheries and Land Resources wildfire suppression staff is on route to Australia to provide expertise and relief for Australian crews currently battling unprecedented wildfires in that country.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

Space heaters are becoming increasingly popular as a second source of heat in homes and garages.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

On Monday afternoon December 17th staff at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner received a telephone call from a representative of LifeLabs indicating that the company had been subject to a cyber attack resulting in a third party accessing information of up to 18,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. We were told at that time that this information was limited to names and MCP numbers and not test results. We have been in communication with LifeLabs in an effort to confirm this information and to seek additional information in order to assess the extent to which residents of this Province may be affected by the breach.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

The Honourable Derrick Bragg, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.