Government of Newfoundland News

Executive Council

Members of the media are advised of the following changes in departmental media contacts for the Provincial Government:

Service NL

The Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister of Service NL, will speak at the NL Association of Realtors (NLAR) annual conference tomorrow (Tuesday, October 25) at the Holiday Inn, 180 Portugal Cove Road, St. John's at 12:00 p.m.

Executive Council
Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will provide a combined investment of $814,000 to the Smallwood Crescent Community Centre in Marystown for major renovations and improvements and $93,404 for survey work at the Marystown Industrial Park.

Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods

The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods, will view a demonstration of Enactus Memorial’s Project SucSeed, a hydroponic system which creates fresh produce. Last month, Enactus Memorial won the Enactus World Cup 2016 for this project.

Environment and Climate Change

Today, the Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, reached out to Harvard University requesting clarification regarding their stance on Dr. Elsie Sunderland's research on methylmercury. In a letter to Harvard President Dr. Drew Faust, Minister Trimper has asked Harvard officials to clarify the nature and scope of Dr. Sunderland's work in the area of methylmercury monitoring and whether Harvard endorses Dr. Sunderland's methylmercury research and its relationship with the Muskrat Falls project. A copy of the letter can be found at - www.gov.nl.ca/releases/2016/ecc/1021n10_letter.pdf

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, will speak at the Arctic Technology Conference Monday, October 24.

Transportation and Works

Due to potential heavy rainfall this weekend along parts of the south coast of the island, officials from the Department of Transportation and Works will be monitoring roads in these areas in the event of any possible impacts to road infrastructure.

Executive Council

Mark Browne, Parliamentary Assistant to the Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will be in Marystown tomorrow (Saturday, October 22) to announce joint federal-provincial funding to support community infrastructure projects. The event will take place at the Smallwood Crescent Community Centre, 12 Smallwood Crescent, Marystown, at 12:00 p.m.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Honourable Judy Foote, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Member of Parliament for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, along with Neil King, MHA for Bonavista, announced combined funding of $180,250 to support cultural tourism and heritage projects. Minister Foote made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), while MHA King spoke on behalf of the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, at an event at the Port Union Factory Building in the Town of Trinity Bay North today.

Service NL

Service NL advises the public that studded tires can be put on vehicles effective today (Friday, October 21).

Service NL

Seven new communities in Labrador have signed on to partner in the BizPal program. The municipalities of Red Bay, Charlottetown, Mary’s Harbour, Port Hope Simpson, Forteau, L’Anse au Clair and L’Anse au Loup are participating in the federal-provincial-territorial online information service. This brings the total number of municipalities involved in the program to 87. The Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister of Service NL, made the announcement during Small Business Week.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Donovan Molloy, has released his Report A-2016-024 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A summary of the Report is included below.

Justice and Public Safety

The following convictions were recently delivered in provincial court in Gander and Corner Brook as the result of investigations conducted by the Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Division.

Fisheries, Forestry and Agifoods

Forty-eight per cent of the 90 forest fire starts reported during the 2016 forest fire season can be linked to early spring fires and the practice of burning grass. While the number of starts is well below the 10-year average of 120, more can always be done to reduce the risk of wildfire.

Transportation and Works

Effective Friday, October 21, new ferry schedules will be implemented for some of the intra-provincial ferry services. The new schedules were developed based on input received from consultations with ferry user committees to help find efficiencies in service delivery and better align ferry services with passenger usage.

Environment and Climate Change

The Provincial Government is clarifying the role of Harvard Professor Dr. Elsie Sunderland in a new methylmercury study announced yesterday as part of a series of enhanced measures regarding Muskrat Falls. The clarification is in response to recent statements from Harvard University officials.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, will be in Baie Verte tomorrow (Friday, October 21) to speak at the Baie Verte & Area Chamber of Commerce meeting. The event takes place in the cafeteria of the Baie Verte College of the North Atlantic campus, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Municipal Affairs

Residents and communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador are advised that Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement regarding the possibility of heavy rainfall for parts of the province on Friday, October 21, through Sunday, October 23.

Justice and Public Safety

Dennis Browne, QC, has been appointed Consumer Advocate for Newfoundland and Labrador. In this capacity, Mr. Browne will represent the interests of domestic and general service customers in relation to specific hearings and applications before the Public Utilities Board. Mr. Browne’s appointment was made through the Independent Appointments Commission (IAC) and follows the conclusion of Thomas Johnson’s appointment as Consumer Advocate.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, today congratulated two Newfoundland and Labrador businesses, Empowered Homes and HelpMeOrder, for claiming top honours at the Invest Atlantic Conference’s Pitch 101 competition earlier this month in Moncton, N.B.