Government of Newfoundland News

Since the introduction of the new Public Procurement Act in 2018, the Provincial Government has focused on ways to promote learning and networking opportunities to help support suppliers in the province. Next week, a number of public sector organizations will participate in a reverse trade show to help share information about the public procurement process in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In a reverse trade show, public bodies set up booths and suppliers are invited to meet with officials to learn about their procurement processes, as well as any upcoming opportunities. The forum also allows suppliers to connect with representatives from the public sector organizations to share information about their products and services.

The Public Procurement Agency, in conjunction with the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology and the St. John’s Board of Trade, will host the reverse trade show on Thursday, June 1 at the Sandman Hotel, 227 Kenmount Road, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Bonavista Room.

Interested suppliers can contact the Board of Trade at 709-726-2961 or www.stjohnsbot.ca/events/ to register for this free event.

Quotes
“Creating awareness of procurement processes in the province, while also creating awareness of procurement opportunities, is very important for both suppliers and public body organizations. A reverse trade show is an interesting concept that allows for the information to flow both ways, and is a win for everyone involved.”
Honourable Elvis Loveless
Minister Responsible for the Public Procurement Agency

“A reverse trade show creates a uniquely interesting one-stop event for the supplier community to connect with the public sector buyer, identify ways to efficiently bridge supply chain gaps, and raise awareness of current and future opportunities for business partnerships. We are pleased to be the first province to host an in-person, post-pandemic showcase of this event in Atlantic Canada.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC
Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology

“We have such a diverse business community that has so much to offer through quality goods and services. It’s important for the public sector to understand the depth and breadth of services that can be procured locally, and this space allows both sides to come together and learn about the opportunities that exist. We look forward to facilitating valuable business opportunities and fostering new connections among our incredible industry professionals!”
AnnMarie Boudreau
CEO, St. John’s Board of Trade

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The Honourable John Hogan, KC, Minister of Justice and Public Safety, will mark a new federal agreement through the Guns and Gangs Violence Action Fund tomorrow (Friday, May 26).

The announcement will take place at the RNC Provincial Headquarters, 1 Fort Townshend, St. John’s at 11:30 a.m.

Minister Hogan will be joined by the Honourable Helena Jaczek, federal Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Receiver General for Canada, representing the Honourable Marco Mendicino, federal Minister of Public Safety, as well as Joanne Thompson, Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, Churence Rogers, Member of Parliament for Bonavista-Burin-Trinity, and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Chief of Police Pat Roche.

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As part of continued efforts to improve the delivery of health services and create a more effective and efficient health care system, a Request for Proposals (RFP) has been issued by Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services for leased space for an ambulatory care centre on the Northeast Avalon.

Relocating ambulatory care services to a location outside of acute care settings will improve access to same day services where overnight hospitalization is not required, such as outpatient physiotherapy, blood collection and ultrasounds.

In turn, moving ambulatory care services to a new location will:

• Decrease vehicular and foot traffic at acute care facilities, including the Health Sciences Centre;
• Enable expansion of critical inpatient services within acute care settings, such as cardiac surgery and rapid access chest pain assessment clinics;
• Increase the number of clinic spaces available to service providers, which will help reduce wait times; and
• Assist in recruitment initiatives.

A new ambulatory care centre will also help improve patient care, as the new space will be designed around sharing resources and enhancing patient flow, creating a better experience for the patient, and increasing clinical capacity to meet anticipated future demand.

The RFP requires leased space of approximately 78,000 square feet located on the Northeast Avalon. It is anticipated that the new ambulatory care clinic will open in 2025.

The RFP is in addition to the ongoing expansion of the Health Sciences Emergency Department, an RFP for space for an urgent care centre, and an RFP for consulting services for a new community mental health and addictions centre on the Northeast Avalon.

Information on RFPs and tenders issued and awarded by the department and other public bodies is available by visiting www.merx.com/govnl.

Quotes
“This is another step we are taking to improve the way health care services are delivered on the Northeast Avalon. Providing ambulatory care at a separate location will also help ease pressures on the emergency department at the Health Sciences Centre. We feel that this will improve the overall experience of patients and staff, as well as contribute to ongoing retention and recruitment initiatives.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

“The demand for ambulatory care services in the Northeast Avalon is expected to increase substantially in the coming years. Relocating ambulatory services to a stand-alone space will help increase timelier access to hospital services for our patients, improve flow of patients through the Health Sciences Centre and St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, and provide us with additional space to care for our patients.”
Dr. Gregory Browne
Chief of Staff – Eastern Urban, Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services

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Learn more
Provincial Government Seeking Consultants for New Community Mental Health and Addictions Centre

Minister Osborne Announces Planned Urgent Care Centre for Northeast Avalon

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The Torrent River Bridge has been closed to all vehicle traffic until further notice. The bridge is located on the Torrent River Forest Access Road near the community of Hawke’s Bay.

The closure is required due to a risk to public safety, resulting from recently discovered damage to the bridge.

Signage has been posted at the intersection of Torrent River Forest Access Road and Route 430, the intersection of Torrent River Forest Access Road and Farm Road, and barricades have been erected at the bridge site.

For additional information, please contact the Port Saunders Forest Management District Office at 709-861-3502.

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The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever as originating in Newfoundland and Labrador, and as an essential part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s historical and cultural heritage.

Both the Newfoundland dog and Labrador Retriever have existed in this province for many years. The Maritime Archaic had dogs as discovered in graves at Port au Choix by Professor James Tuck and carbon dated around four thousand years ago. The first mention of dogs to the province in historical documents is known as early as 1620.

Newfoundland dogs are considered the best for their water rescuing abilities and are used around the world. The dog is a symbol of our province and the subject of many stories and legends based on the breed’s bravery and loyalty. Originally, Newfoundland dogs and Labrador Retrievers hauled fishing nets to shore and then pulled the day’s catch to market by cart.

The Labrador Retriever is among the top breeds that work as service, rescue and therapy dogs. The breed is also successful in scent detection work, including the ability to detect health issues in humans. Known for being even tempered and gentle, they have long been the number one in breed registrations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

Quotes
“There are four breeds currently recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club as uniquely Canadian: the Newfoundland dog, the Labrador Retriever, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and the Canadian Inuit Dog. Today, our government recognizes not only the cultural significance of the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever, but we also recognize them as originating in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Siobhan Coady
Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance

“Recognition of these breeds is important, not only for those who value the broader social and cultural history of Newfoundland and Labrador, but for those, in particular, who cherish the two dog breeds so integral to the settlement and development of our province. Over the many years I have researched the history of the Labrador Retriever and Newfoundland dog, I have been struck not only by how important a part these dogs played in helping our ancestors survive, but by how our breeds reflect the virtues which we as a culture value: hard work, devotion to family, generosity of spirit. Like our people, our dogs are ‘salt of the earth’, always ready for a bit of fun, strong in defense of the people and places they love. There is nothing false or superficial about either our people or our dogs. What you see is what you get! Little wonder these dogs are so popular and beloved throughout the world. They are our gift to the world, but they are ours!”
Michael J Woods, PhD

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Learn more
Meet Canada’s Dog Breeds | CKC

Beau, the Labrador Retriever, and Night, the Newfoundland dog, met with the Premier today. From left to right: Caitlin O’Brien-Dyke, Pamela Squires, Pat Coady, the Honourable Siobhan Coady, the Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, and Rob Crosbie. Night, the Newfoundland dog, and Beau, the Labrador Retriever, visited the House of Assembly. From left to right: Rob Crosbie, Speaker Derek Bennett, Pat Coady, Pamela Squires, the Honourable Siobhan Coady, and Caitlin O’Brien-Dyke.

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The following is being distributed at the request of The Council of Atlantic Premiers:

Atlantic Premiers call on the Federal Government to delay implementation of new Clean Fuel Regulations until a plan can be developed to address the disproportionate impact of the regulations on Atlantic Canadians.

The Council of Atlantic Premiers met virtually yesterday with the federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Steven Guilbeault, to discuss these issues.

As the July 1 implementation date of the federal Clean Fuel Regulations approaches, Atlantic Premiers remain concerned about the detrimental and disproportionate impact they will have on Atlantic Canadians. Together with the carbon tax increase also scheduled for July 1, an increase in the cost of gasoline and diesel is anticipated. These increases will further add to inflationary pressures that will increase the costs of other goods imported to the region.

The Atlantic provinces have been working collaboratively with the Federal Government to invest in innovative clean technologies to accelerate the development of renewable energy, reduce emissions, and ensure a supply of clean and affordable energy products for Atlantic Canadians.

Premiers noted that Atlantic Canada has been a leader in climate action, and is prepared to work in partnership with the Federal Government to attain shared objectives of greenhouse gas emission reductions without adding to the inflationary pressures already facing Atlantic Canadians.

Premiers are concerned by the uncertainty the new regulations may create and were disappointed that the federal minister has not provided clarity on the impact of the Regulations on fuel prices and fuel supplies, despite acknowledging there will be a disproportionate impact to Atlantic Canadians.

Atlantic Premiers are encouraged by the minister’s commitment to work with them to address concerns expressed by producers and consumers in the region. They look forward to positive results being confirmed within the next two weeks by the Federal Government to ensure these measures do not place an unfair burden on Atlantic Canadians.

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Les premiers ministres demandent au gouvernement fédéral de proroger la mise en œuvre du Règlement sur les combustibles propres 

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Speaker, there are four breeds currently recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club as uniquely Canadian: the Newfoundland dog, the Labrador Retriever, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and the Canadian Inuit Dog.

Both the Newfoundland dog and Labrador Retriever have existed in this province for many years. The Maritime Archaic had dogs as discovered in graves at Port au Choix by Professor James Tuck and carbon dated around four thousand years ago. The first mention of dogs to the province in historical documents is known as early as 1620.

Newfoundland dogs are considered the best for their water rescuing abilities and are used around the world. The dog is a symbol of our province and the subject of many stories and legends based on the breed’s bravery and loyalty. Originally, Newfoundland dogs and Labrador Retrievers hauled fishing nets to shore and then pulled the day’s catch to market by cart.

The Labrador Retriever is among the top breeds that work as service, rescue and therapy dogs. The breed is also successful in scent detection work including the ability to detect health issues in humans. Known for being even tempered and gentle, they have long been the number one in breed registrations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes the Newfoundland dog and the Labrador Retriever as originating in Newfoundland and Labrador and are an essential part of Newfoundland and Labrador’s historical and cultural heritage.

Thank you.

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Applications for the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership are available on the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture website.

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5 billion initiative that aims to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agrifood and agri‐based products sector. Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture sector will have access to nearly $43 million in cost-shared federal-provincial funding.

Key priorities of the partnership include a focus on:

• Climate change and environment;
• Science, research, and innovation;
• Market development and trade;
• Building sector capacity, growth and competitiveness; and
• Resiliency and public trust.

The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership builds on the success of the $37 million, five-year Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which has funded more than 700 agricultural initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador since 2018.

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As a result of a technical issue, there is a delay in updating the Newfoundland and Labrador COVID-19 Dashboard. It is anticipated that the dashboard will be updated by the end of this week.

The latest data for the recent COVID-19 reporting period (May 7, 2023 – May 20, 2023) is available below. The Department of Health and Community Services anticipates regular updates to resume Wednesday, June 7.

COVID-19 Activity Report – Reporting period: weeks 19 and 20, May 7, 2023 – May 20, 2023

New Hospitalizations: 15
New Critical Care: 8
New Deaths: 1
Vaccination*: 23.0%

New Hospitalizations by RHA

Regional Health Authority # of New Hospitalizations Central Health Authority 5 Eastern Health Authority 8 Labrador-Grenfell Health Authority 0 Western Health Authority 2

 

Total Deaths by RHA

Regional Health Authority # of Deaths Central Health Authority 98 Eastern Health Authority 178 Labrador-Grenfell Health Authority 11 Western Health Authority 58

 

Total Deaths by Age Group

Age Group # of Deaths <20 years 1 20-29 years 0 30-39 years 1 40-49 years 4 50-59 years 18 60-69 years 39 70-79 years 108 80+ years 174

 

Vaccination Rates by Age Group (%)

Age Group % Meeting Vaccination Criteria* 6 mos-4 years 7.7% 5-11 years 7.3% 12-19 years 7.9% 20-29 years 7.1% 30-39 years 10.6% 40-49 years 14.8% 50-59 years 21.9% 60-69 years 37.3% 70-79 years 56.3% 80+ years 58.8%

 

Cases by Day

Report day # of Cases May 7 5 May 8 7 May 9 5 May 10 9 May 11 6 May 12 10 May 13 2 May 14 4 May 15 3 May 16 1 May 17 5 May 18 6 May 19 11 May 20 1 TOTAL 75

* Vaccination coverage is defined as those who have completed a primary series of Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccines (2 doses) and/or at least one booster on or after September 21st 2022.

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The Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador, Denise Hanrahan, today delivered a performance audit of the Food Premises Inspection and Licensing Program to the House of Assembly. The audit reports on findings and recommendations regarding whether the program has effective management, monitoring, and oversight by the Departments of Health and Community Services and Digital Government and Service NL. The audit period was April 2019 through December 2021.

The audit concluded that the Department of Health and Community Services did not maintain proper oversight of the program, while the Department of Digital Government and Service NL did not effectively manage some aspects of the program’s operations, possibly increasing the overall risk to public health.

Health and Community Services’ policies and guidelines were found to be outdated with no established oversight processes beyond the requirements for Digital Government and Service NL to submit annual reports, which were not received during the audit period.

It was also concluded that there were no established processes to ensure policies and guidelines set out by Health and Community Services were followed by Digital Government and Service NL, with a Memorandum of Understanding between the two departments having not been updated since 1999.

The audit full report, as well as an audit overview, can be found by visiting: www.ag.gov.nl.ca.

Quote
“Each year one in eight Canadians are affected by a foodborne illness. It is essential that the province’s Food Premises Inspection and Licensing Program is effectively managed to ensure food premises are complying with legislation in order to reduce the instances of foodborne illness and protect public health and wellness. I am concerned that remote areas of the province were susceptible to extended periods without inspections; that public complaints were not handled in accordance with policy; and that the Memorandum of Understanding between the departments is both outdated and not adhered to. These factors may have made it difficult for both departments to fulfill their roles, possibly resulting in the program not being implemented in a way that aligns with health standards.”
Denise Hanrahan
Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador

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The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will bring greetings at the grand opening of Fort Amherst Healthcare’s Adult Day Program “The Neighbourhood” tomorrow (Thursday, May 25).

The opening takes place at Bishops Gardens Senior Living, 190 Pennywell Road, St. John’s beginning at 11:00 a.m.

The Neighbourhood is a drop-in accessible Adult Day Program that provides affordable social and recreational programming and personal care support in a safe and friendly environment.

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The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Labrador Affairs and Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation:

Speaker, I am proud to tell you about a group of enterprising students who have earned the right to compete next month at an international competition in Colorado.

The Shark Tech team at Labrador Straits Academy placed second overall in a provincial competition, hosted by Marine Institute – an incredible achievement for a small school of fewer than 150 students. Competing against larger schools in the province, 10 students from L’Anse au Loup spent more than 1,200 hours designing and building a remotely operated vehicle.

This Labrador school and Mount Pearl Senior High are the two teams that will represent Canada on the world stage, competing against teams from Indonesia, California, New England, Hong Kong and other places around the globe. This is the first team from Labrador to qualify for an international robotics event, but even more remarkably, the first team to advance from a regional competition in their first year of competition.

This accomplishment is the result of the dedication and commitment of students and teachers, as well as the unfailing support of parents and community.

I ask members of this Honourable House to join me in congratulating the students from Labrador Straits Academy. As you prepare to leave your tiny corner of Labrador and put your talents up against the best in the world, we want you to know that the Big Land – and the entire province – is rooting for you.

 

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The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Elvis Loveless, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure:

Speaker, on March 21, two Transportation and Infrastructure employees at Cold Brook Depot, Mr. Roland Beanland and Mr. John Tobin, were conducting a regular road condition check on Route 460 when they came upon a vehicle that had sustained major damage. They subsequently found a young man still seated behind the wheel, and soon learned the vehicle had hit a moose and, while the driver was conscious, he was not coherent.

The men called 911 and proceeded to get the vehicle out of harm’s way. While they waited for emergency services to arrive, the two men – along with the assistance of another passerby – attended to the young man. At times, they thought they had lost him, but they continued their efforts to keep him conscious and alive.

The next day, they learned the young man had sustained serious injuries. The doctor stated it was most likely their efforts that kept him alive.

Speaker, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to these employees for their courageous efforts. It is not always recognized that our public service employees – who are on our roadways in every region of our province as part of their daily work – sometimes play the role of first responder until help arrives.

I ask all members to rise and thank Mr. Roland Beanland and Mr. John Tobin for their valiant efforts in helping to save a life.

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Today, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) of Newfoundland and Labrador released an Investigation Report into the 2021 cyberattack on the provincial health authorities.

The province has received the Investigation Report and will review the key findings and recommendations and provide a formal response to the Privacy Commissioner’s Office.

In response to this attack, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador activated the provincial Emergency Operations Centres, along with the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Health Information and the four Regional Health Authorities to contain and mitigate system impacts, while continuing to provide health care services. The appropriate authorities were notified, including the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the OIPC, with additional external cybersecurity experts along with the Government of Canada engaged to provide advice and assist with efforts to contain, investigate, and safely restore health care systems.

Quote
“We are pleased the OIPC found that the province took reasonable steps to investigate and contain the cyberattack. This was a complex cybersecurity incident, but we are confident that reasonable security steps have already been taken – and are being taken – to mitigate the risk of a potential future incident. We will continue to engage leading experts in cyber security and work with the new amalgamated provincial health authority and other partners as part of our continuing commitment to strengthen the privacy protection for personal health information of residents of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable John Hogan, KC
Minister of Justice and Public Safety

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To view the Report in its entirety, please go to www.oipc.nl.ca/reports/commissioner.

Report: P-2023-001/PH-2023-002 Report Date: May 23, 2023 Public Body: Provincial Health Authority and Department of Health and Community Services. Summary: The investigation by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) into the October 2021 cyber attack on the provincial health system is now complete. The Investigation Report may be found on our web site at www.oipc.nl.ca under “What’s New” or click on “Reports” and navigate to “PHIA Privacy Reports” or “ATIPPA Privacy Reports.”

The Report was issued by Sean Murray, Director of Research and Quality Assurance, acting in the role of Commissioner’s Delegate, in accordance with the authority delegated to him by Commissioner Michael Harvey under section 103 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 and section 80 of the Personal Health Information Act.

The Report contains 34 findings and six recommendations. All six recommendations are directed to the new Provincial Health Authority.

The Report found that significant cyber security vulnerabilities existed for some time prior to the cyber attack, that these vulnerabilities were known within the Centre for Health Information when it took over responsibility for cyber security from the Regional Health Authorities, and that the Department was informed in 2020, over a year prior to the cyber attack, that a threat assessment rated the chances of a cyber attack as “high” and the impact of such an event as “high.”

Efforts to reduce these vulnerabilities prior to the cyber attack were inadequate. The resulting cyber attack was the largest privacy breach ever experienced in this province, which saw the personal health information or personal information of the vast majority of our population taken by malicious threat actors. It was also one of the largest ransomware attacks in Canada to date.

The Report found that the Centre for Health Information took reasonable steps in investigating the cause of the cyber attack and attempting to contain the privacy breach. Many, but not all of the steps taken to notify affected individuals were reasonable. The Department took a leading role in what information would be disclosed and when, and it did not provide an adequate response to our questions to justify the delay in publicly disclosing certain details about the cyber attack.

The havoc caused by the cyber attack is not the end of the story. Since the date of the attack, substantial effort has been expended by the Centre for Health Information (now part of the new Provincial Health Authority) through a series of projects called Breakwater, which has significantly enhanced cyber security for our provincial health information systems. Our Report concludes that reasonable cyber security steps have been taken since the cyber attack, and work is continuing in order to mitigate the risk of a future cyber attack, and to reduce its impact should one occur.

Mr. Murray commented: “Cyber security is and will continue to be an ongoing arms race with organized crime as well as state-sanctioned actors who will not only attempt to extort us and breach our privacy, but also cause us to incur significant costs and harm actual health care delivery and other public services and critical infrastructure, potentially putting lives at risk. It’s nothing less than a matter of national security and needs to be treated as such going forward.”

Among the six recommendations, one is that the Breakwater projects be appropriately resourced and implemented within the time frame outlined in the plan, with the goal of ensuring that cyber security across the provincial health information system meets internationally accepted cyber security standards. “Bolstering security in the short term only to see it lag again over the medium to long term will see us just as vulnerable as we were in 2021, and that is not an acceptable option.”

Another recommendation is that the Provincial Health Authority create a Chief Privacy Officer position. Other recommendations focus on notification and information management policies.

Mr. Murray commented, “They say never waste a crisis, and indications are good so far that important lessons have been learned. However, those lessons must be fully integrated into the underlying philosophy and operational mandate of the entire health care system, not only in word, but in deed. There will be financial costs of course, but there are even greater financial costs if we fail. Failure would also mean the incalculable cost of losing public trust in our health care system, which has certainly taken a hit with this cyber attack. I hope this Report, by shedding light on the 2021 cyber attack and how our health care organizations responded to it and are working to prevent future such attacks, will help to restore some of that public trust.”

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Media contact
Sean Murray
Director of Research and Quality Assurance
709-729-6309
commissioner@oipc.nl.ca

Background:
Commissioner Harvey recused himself from the cyber attack investigation on March 21, 2023, in response to a court application by government seeking to remove him from the investigation due to allegations of reasonable apprehension of bias based on Commissioner Harvey’s executive position with the Department of Health and Community Services prior to his appointment as Commissioner. While he rejected the allegations as unfounded, he nevertheless delegated responsibility for the investigation and issuance of the Report to Mr. Murray because of the delay that would have resulted from having the matter heard in court.

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The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, in partnership with the Association for New Canadians, announced more than $11 million for a suite of housing and employment supports to assist Ukrainians to settle and raise families in Newfoundland and Labrador. This announcement, to support the nearly 2,800 Ukrainians in the province, includes additional housing supports and the new Ukraine Job Connect initiative to support employers in hiring Ukrainians and boost the province’s overall employment.

Housing and settlement supports being offered to Ukrainians include:

• Launching an innovative, province-wide homestay hosting program. Approved host families will receive $1,000 monthly for up to five months for hosting Ukrainians;
• Moving expense assistance of $2,000 for Ukrainians leaving temporary accommodations who are moving to leased accommodations in the St. John’s Census Metropolitan area, $4,000 for outside the St. John’s area, and $6,000 for Labrador;
• A $3 million call for proposals for innovative housing projects for Ukrainians, such as:
• Repurposing vacant property;
• Housing repair and maintenance assistance; and
• Co-housing initiatives; and
• Expanding access to conversational English classes and workplace-based English support for Ukrainians.

The Association for New Canadians continues to compile a database of available housing throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Homeowners with vacant properties can register their housing with the Association for New Canadians by contacting ukraine@ancnl.ca or 709-325-0881.

Staff at the Provincial Government’s Regatta Plaza Employment Centre in St. John’s, and the Association for New Canadians, are together offering targeted employment services to Ukrainians. Through the new Ukraine Job Connect, staff are working with Ukrainian newcomers by connecting them to employers looking to fill vacancies. These services are also available at all 19 employment centres throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Ukrainian job seekers can visit the webpage for more information.

Employment supports offered by Ukraine Job Connect include:

• A 42-week wage subsidy (up to $12 per hour for eligible employers); 70 per cent for first 14 weeks, 60 per cent for second 14 weeks; and 80 per cent for third 14 weeks);
• Short-term training to connect to employment (e.g., preparing for work in building sector, retail or restaurants);
• Matching qualified Ukrainians to employers looking to fill vacancies;
• Assistance with credential assessment, language training and immigration; and
• Helping employers with settlement services and cultural competency training.

Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022, about 700 Ukrainians have arrived on four Provincial Government sponsored airlifts and nearly three times that number have arrived by their own means, with more arriving weekly. The Association for New Canadians has helped 1,600 Ukrainians secure permanent housing throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. More than 280 employers throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have hired almost 600 Ukrainians.

Unlike all Federal Government-Assisted Refugees, Ukrainians arriving here are not eligible for a full-year of federal income support and do not have instant permanent residency status. This leaves Ukrainians especially vulnerable and in dire need of both full-time employment and permanent housing.

For information on employment supports and programs available for citizens and permanent residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, please see attached backgrounder.

Quotes
“More than twice the number of Ukrainians we brought here by airlifts are now in permanent housing and nearly the same number are working, but we aren’t stopping there. If we want Ukrainians families to ‘set roots’ and become Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, we must do more to give them access to the same generous supports that we enjoy. Today’s announcement of $11 million in employment and housing supports, delivered in partnership with the Association for New Canadians, is a major step forward to achieving that goal.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills

“The Association for New Canadians is delighted to collaborate with the Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills on these innovative employment and housing initiatives. This generous funding will go a long way in supporting the settlement and employment goals of Ukrainians living in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Megan Morris
Executive Director, Association for New Canadians

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BACKGROUNDER

Employment Supports for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians

This announcement is a step towards providing Ukrainian newcomers an equivalent level of employment and skills development supports that are already available to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Budget 2023 provided an investment of $140 million for 15,000 workers and 2,500 employers for recruitment, retention and skills development to meet an ever-evolving demand for labour. This federal funding, provided through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Labour Market Development Agreement and Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Workforce Development Agreement also assists underrepresented groups, such as women, persons with disabilities, youth and newcomers to secure employment.

• Annual investments include:
• • $2.6 million for over 300 employers to train over 3,600 individuals to get the skills they need;

• • $47 million to assist 3,800 people get training to connect them with employment; and

• • $14 million to connect 1,000 employees to employers through wage subsidies.
• Programs include:
• • Wage subsidies that fund employers to create sustainable long-term or seasonal employment. Funding helps offset salary costs to create new positions;

• • The Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Job Grant to help with the cost of training existing or future employees;

• • The Labour Market Partnership Program, which supports employers to develop and implement strategies and activities to deal with labour force adjustments and meeting human resource demands. The program also provides assistance for employed persons who are facing loss of employment;

• • Work-Related Disability Supports to provide persons with disabilities work-related supports to assist with seeking or maintaining employment;

• • Skills Development program for those seeking full-time post-secondary training; and

• • Student Summer Employment program that assists private sector businesses and non-profit groups create summer employment for post-secondary and high-school students.

Job seekers interested in availing of employment and training supports can visit this webpage for more information.

Employers looking to use wage subsidies to hire or grants to train their employees can visit this webpage for more information.

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Through the Provincial Government’s historic investment of almost $1.4 billion in provincial roads and highways over the next five years, a number of additional contracts have been awarded totaling approximately $21 million for road work throughout the province.

Four contracts were recently awarded, including:

• A $9.4 million contract awarded to JCL Investments Inc. to replace culverts and pave sections of Bide Arm Road (Route 433-10); Port aux Choix Road (Route 430-28); Cow Head Main Street (Route 430-21-1); Barbe Ferry Road (Route 430-50); Loop Road (Route 430-52); Reefs Harbour Road (Route 430-36); and grade Croque Road (Route 438);
• A $5.4 million contract to Marine Contractors Ltd. for culvert replacements between Corner Brook and Pynn’s Brook Weigh Scales, and rehabilitation of the ramp to Humber Village (Exit 9);
• A $4.3 million contract awarded to Nortech Construction Co. Ltd. for widening, paving, installation of sidewalk and replacement of culverts along a section of (Route 210) at McGettigan Boulevard in Marystown; and
• A $1.7 million contract awarded to Municipal Construction Limited to remove and replace various sections of asphalt along the Trans-Canada Highway in the areas of Conception Bay South, Harbour Main and Placentia-St. Mary’s.

These contracts are part of a $225 million investment in highway construction in 2023-24 and close to $1.4 billion over the next five construction seasons, as announced in Budget 2023.

Information on tenders issued and awarded by the department and other public bodies is available by visiting www.merx.com/govnl.

Information on active highway construction projects and repairs is also available by visiting https://511nl.ca/ and on the NL 511 mobile app.

Quotes
“We continue to award contracts for necessary improvements aimed at strengthening our provincial roads and highways to withstand the impacts of climate change. Our government’s historical investment in roads infrastructure signals our commitment to ensuring safe and reliable roads leading to our towns and communities.”
Honourable Elvis Loveless
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

“The level of investment in road work across the province and in the district of St. Barbe – L’Anse aux Meadows this year is record breaking. With $9.4 million being invested over this construction season, we can say with confidence that the improvements in our road network will help with economic and social development across the district for years to come.”
Honourable Krista Lynn Howell
Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs and MHA for St. Barbe – L’Anse aux Meadows

“Any day that we can announce key infrastructure improvements, along one of the busiest stretches of the Trans-Canada Highway, is a great day for the Corner Brook region and the entire province. These investments will benefit the region for many years to come.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills and MHA for Corner Brook

“Road infrastructure improvements are integral to movement throughout the District of St. George’s-Humber, and impact the residents who rely on them for access to services or connectivity throughout the region. I am very pleased with the work that is slated for this construction season.”
Scott Reid
MHA for St. George’s-Humber

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Learn more
Focus Continues on Highway Improvements with Awarding of Latest Contracts

Road Infrastructure Investments Aimed at Increasing Safety and Access on Provincial Highways

Minister Loveless Announces Unprecedented Investment in Multi-Year Roads Program

Provincial Government Announces Largest Ever Five-Year Investment in Highway and Road Infrastructure

The post Provincial Road Work Continues with Awarding of Additional Contracts appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, will launch an extensive suite of supports to help Ukrainians secure long-term housing and employment in Newfoundland and Labrador tomorrow (Wednesday, May 24).

The launch will take place at the Regatta Plaza Employment Centre, 80 Elizabeth Avenue, St. John’s at 11 a.m.

Minister Byrne will be joined by Megan Morris, Executive Director of the Association for New Canadians. Also present will be members of the Ukrainian community and businesses who have hired Ukrainians.

Since the illegal invasion of the Ukraine by Russia on February 24, 2022:

• More than 2,700 Ukrainians have arrived here; almost three-quarters arriving on their own and more coming weekly;
• More than 1,600 Ukrainians are in permanent housing, 296 in the last month;
• More than 280 employers throughout Newfoundland and Labrador have hired almost 600 Ukrainians;
• More than 500 Ukrainian students enrolled in K-12 schools; and
• Nearly 400 Ukrainians are studying English as a Second language.

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The post Media Advisory: Minister Byrne to Launch Additional Settlement Supports for Ukrainians appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services, today announced $140,000 in funding to support the School Milk Foundation. The funding will help ensure the foundation can mitigate a price increase for K-12 students accessing milk at schools throughout Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2023-24 school year.

The School Milk Foundation is a not-for-profit organization funded by the Dairy Farmers of Newfoundland and Labrador. The organization is focused on increasing access to milk for school-aged children and youth in Newfoundland and Labrador. The program, currently operating in 260 schools in the province, provides both white and reduced sugar chocolate milk at a subsidized rate for students.

In addition to supporting access to milk, the program provides curriculum-based nutrition education programs in schools. A Registered Dietitian provides virtual live presentations for Kindergarten to Grade 6 classes in schools in all regions of the province. The program also provides a number of promotional programs to schools each year. More information can be found here.

The Provincial Government, through the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, also provides $250,000 annually to support the printing of school milk packaging.

Quotes
“The School Milk Foundation plays a key role in providing access to milk for students. Milk contains a number of nutrients that school-aged children and youth are under consuming, including calcium and vitamin D. This funding will ensure that the organization will meet its current financial commitments and maintains the quality of the program in 260 schools throughout the province.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

“This funding will have a tremendous impact for students and families across our province. Keeping the price of school milk where it has been since 2019 is crucial to offering affordable nutrition at schools, at a time of high inflation when it is even more important.”
Wayne Simmons, Chair
School Milk Foundation of NL

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Learn more
School Milk Foundation

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The investigation by the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) into the October 2021 cyber attack on the provincial health system is now complete. The Report was sent to the parties today and it will be posted on our web site tomorrow, May 24, 2023, for members of the public to read.

The Report is being issued by Sean Murray, Director of Research and Quality Assurance, acting in the role of Commissioner’s Delegate, in accordance with the authority delegated to him by Commissioner Michael Harvey under section 103 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 and section 80 of the Personal Health Information Act.

Mr. Murray will be holding a technical briefing and media availability on Wednesday, May 24 2023, at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner starting at 9:45 a.m. Registered media should come to the main entrance of the NL Housing Building at 9:30 a.m. to be escorted to the OIPC offices.

This will be an in-person event held in the OIPC Boardroom at 2 Canada Drive (NL Housing Building). As space will be limited, media planning to attend are asked to register in advance by contacting commissioner@oipc.nl.ca. Media unable to attend in person may join via audio only by registering in advance. For sound quality purposes, registered media are asked to use a landline if at all possible.

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Media contact
Sean Murray
Director of Research and Quality Assurance
commissioner@oipc.nl.ca
709-729-6309

Background:
Commissioner Harvey recused himself from the cyber attack investigation on March 21, 2023, in response to a court application by government seeking to remove him from the investigation due to allegations of reasonable apprehension of bias based on Commissioner Harvey’s executive position with the Department of Health and Community Services prior to his appointment as Commissioner. While he rejected the allegations as unfounded, he nevertheless delegated responsibility for the investigation and issuance of the Report to Mr. Murray because of the delay that would have resulted from having the matter heard in court.

The post Media Advisory: Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner to Issue Report on 2021 Cyber Attack – Technical Briefing and Media Availability appeared first on News Releases.