Government of Newfoundland News

Executive Council

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will deliver a keynote address to delegates and guests of the Northern Exposure 2017: Labrador Opportunity Conference and Trade Show. The luncheon event takes place tomorrow, (Tuesday, January 24) at 12:00 p.m. in the Avalon Ballroom of the Delta Hotel, St. John's.

Children, Seniors and Social Development
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation

The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador have invested $75,000 in the construction of a three-bedroom home for a low-income family in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Children, Seniors and Social Development
Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation

The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador invested in affordable housing and supported services for victims of domestic violence and their families in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. These four new two-bedroom units will provide stable housing and related services for woman and children who have experienced domestic violence.

Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods

The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods, will address members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Fur Breeders' Association at their Annual General Meeting on Monday, January 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Hotel Gander.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Honourable Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will join Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament for Labrador, to participate in three Federal/Provincial opening ceremonies in Labrador.

Education and Early Childhood Development

The Honourable Dale Kirby, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, will participate in an event at Cape St. Francis Elementary School at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, January 23. Cape St. Francis Elementary is located at 31 Satellite Road, Pouch Cove.

Environment and Climate Change

The Town of New-Wes-Valley demonstrated its commitment to protecting valuable wetland habitat today by officially signing a new Municipal Habitat Stewardship Agreement with the Department of Environment and Climate Change. Signed by Derrick Bragg, MHA for Fogo Island-Cape Freels, on behalf of the Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the agreement confirms a mutual commitment to the conservation of local wetlands and the wildlife supported by these important habitats.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

Towns in Clarenville and the surrounding area will see enhanced community infrastructure, thanks in part to investments by the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Honourable Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Member of Parliament for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced more than $294,000 in federal funding to support six projects. Colin Holloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, announced provincial funding of more than $162,000 for three projects.

Transportation and Works

The Department of Transportation and Works is monitoring Environment Canada forecasts and special statements indicating a potential for up to 35 centimetres of snow and blizzard conditions for some parts of the province beginning this evening and continuing over the weekend.

Executive Council
Transportation and Works
Health and Community Services

To support growing demand for long-term care beds, the Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced that a new long-term care home will begin construction in Corner Brook in fall 2017. The new facility marks the beginning of a new Western Memorial Regional Hospital campus and will include 120 long-term care beds, as well as 15 palliative care beds and 10 rehabilitative care beds.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

Information and Privacy Commissioner Donovan Molloy, Q.C. announced today that an individual has been charged with an offence pursuant to section 88(1)(a) of the Personal Health Information Act (PHIA). The charge results from an investigation conducted by staff of the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner stemming from complaints received in 2016. The individual charged is a former employee of Eastern Health and is alleged to have improperly accessed the personal health information of a number of patients.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

Colin Holloway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, will join the Honourable Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and Member of Parliament for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, in Clarenville tomorrow (Friday, January 20) for funding announcements related to social enterprise and recreational enhancements.

Executive Council

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will make an announcement related to health care in Corner Brook tomorrow (Friday, January 20).

Health and Community Services

Bernard Davis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services, will bring greetings to the graduates of the Centre for Nursing Studies Practical Nursing program, Class of 2016.

Health and Community Services

The Psychiatric Assessment Unit at the Waterford Hospital in St. John’s will be redeveloped to improve patient experience and enhance care. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $650,000 in the project which will provide for renovated space and increased staffing, including an additional registered nurse position. The Psychiatric Assessment Unit is the only dedicated emergency room for mental health issues in the province.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

In our most recent reporting period (October 1 to December 31, 2016), the OIPC received 52 privacy breach reports from 21 public bodies under the ATIPPA, 2015. This is up from the 41 reports from 15 public bodies received in the second quarter of 2016/2017. The two intentional breaches in this period involved inappropriate/unauthorized access to a database.

Environment and Climate Change

The Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

Municipal Affairs

The Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister of Municipal Affairs, will travel today to Milltown-Head of Bay d’Espoir which was affected by three fires earlier this year.

Education and Early Childhood Development

The following statement was issued today by the Honourable Dale Kirby, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development:

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Donovan Molloy, has released his Report A-2017-002 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A summary of the Report is included below.