Government of Newfoundland News

The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will bring greetings at a financial literacy event tomorrow (Wednesday, November 16). Level 1 students from Holy Heart of Mary High School and Waterford Valley High School who take Career Education 2202 will also be in attendance.

The event will take place at Holy Heart of Mary High School, 55 Bonaventure Avenue, in the Learning Resource Centre, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

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Media contact
Debbie Marnell
Environment and Climate Change
709-729-2575, 699-9048
debbiemarnell@gov.nl.ca

The post Media Advisory: Minister Davis to Attend Financial Literacy Event with Level One Students appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister for Labrador Affairs and Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation, is participating in presentations and discussions as part of a biennial convention hosted by the Labrador Fishermen’s Union Shrimp Company Limited today and tomorrow.

The closing banquet takes place tomorrow (Wednesday, November 16) at the Northern Light Inn, 82-86 Main Highway, L’Anse au Clair beginning at 7:00 p.m.

The LFUSCL is a successful community-owned and operated company that operates fishing vessels and processing plants in Southern Labrador, and which is a provider of multi-species fish products throughout North America.

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Media contact
Allan Bock
Labrador Affairs Secretariat
709-899-6446
allanbock@gov.nl.ca

The post Media Advisory: Minister Dempster Participating in the Labrador Fishermen’s Union Shrimp Company’s Biennial Convention appeared first on News Releases.

The Department of Health and Community Services will begin distributing free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to households throughout the province over the coming weeks. The tests will be distributed to households via Canada Post. To ensure widespread community access to rapid antigen testing, rapid antigen tests will also be available in public libraries and MHA constituency offices throughout the province in the coming weeks.

Two kits (five tests per kit) will be sent in two different shipments through Canada Post throughout November and December. Rapid antigen testing is recommended for anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19. As rapid antigen tests do not always detect COVID-19 on the first day or two of symptoms, Public Health recommends doing one test on the first day of symptom onset and, if negative, taking a second test 48 hours later.

As per current guidelines, testing is not recommended for anyone who does not have symptoms, including close contacts. PCR testing will remain for outbreak management and within acute care settings. Public health surveillance and predictive modelling will continue as COVID-19 cases remain in our province. Public Health encourages all who have a positive rapid antigen test result to report it, as reporting positive tests provides important information to help guide public health recommendations. To report a positive COVID-19 rapid antigen test, visit the online COVID-19 Assessment and Test Reporting Tool.

More information regarding the distribution of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests can be found on the Department of Health and Community Services website.

Quote
“In addition to keeping up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, providing rapid antigen testing for Newfoundland and Labrador residents is an important part of living with COVID-19. By making these tests accessible to all residents across the province, our government is enabling residents to make informed decisions about their health and helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

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Media contact
Laura Thomas
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 727-0341
laurathomas@gov.nl.ca

The post Provincial Government to Distribute COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Tests to Newfoundland and Labrador Residents appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Digital Government and Service NL, will participate in the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims ceremony tomorrow (Wednesday, November 16, 2022). The event will take place in the lobby of East Block, Confederation Building at 11:00 a.m.

Guests are invited to bring flowers, wreaths, photos or mementos in memory of those who have been impacted by a road incident. Representatives from law enforcement agencies and other organizations are welcome to bring wreaths and banners.

Parking will be available in front of East Block, and guests are asked to enter using the main entrance facing Prince Philip Drive. Guests who require an accessible entrance can use the blue zone parking behind East Block and enter through the “Public Gallery Entrance.” The event will also be livestreamed on the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Facebook page.

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Media contact
Krista Dalton
Digital Government and Service NL
709-729-4748, 685-6492
kristadalton@gov.nl.ca

The post Media Advisory: Minister Stoodley to Participate in Ceremony of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will bring greetings at “Rebuilding Our Mental Health Community After Isolation,” a wellness education event focused on older adults, tomorrow (Wednesday, November 16).

The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Memorial United Church, 13 Hill Road, Grand Falls-Windsor.

The event is hosted by EXCITE Corporation, which is the not-for-profit business development corporation of the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor.

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Media contact
Khadija Rehma
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
khadijarehma@gov.nl.ca

The post Media Advisory: Minister Abbott to Bring Greetings at a Wellness Education Event appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, along with the Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology and MHA for Burgeo – La Poile, will hold an information session for residents from communities on the southwest coast whose homes were either destroyed, no longer safe to live in and/or cannot be reasonably repaired, or located in the highest impacted area due to Hurricane Fiona.

The information session will take place this evening (Tuesday, November 15) at 5:00 p.m. at St. James Regional High School, 200 Hardys Arterial Rd, Channel-Port aux Basques.

The primary focus of the information session is to provide an update to residents on the financial assessment process regarding their property.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador continues to support residents impacted by Hurricane Fiona through the $30 million allocated to the Hurricane Fiona Financial Assistance Program. To receive funding under the Hurricane Fiona Financial Assistance Program, impacted individuals that are in need of financial, housing or other immediate supports must register with the Canadian Red Cross.

For more information on programs, supports and applications, visit: gov.nl.ca/jps/hurricanefionarelief

Individuals with inquiries related to Hurricane Fiona may contact the Fiona Response Coordinator, Joanne Clarke at 709-695-9871 or email FionaResponse@gov.nl.ca for assistance.

Media planning to attend are asked to RSVP by contacting Emily-Jane Gillingham (emilygillingham@gov.nl.ca).

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Media contacts
Michael King
Office of the Premier
709-729-3558
michaelaking@gov.nl.ca

Emily-Jane Gillingham
Justice and Public Safety
709-729-5524, 730-4607
emilygillingham@gov.nl.ca

The post Public Advisory: Provincial Government Holding Information Session for Residents Impacted by Hurricane Fiona appeared first on News Releases.

Provincial and territorial emergency management organizations will be issuing public test messages through Alert Ready, the national emergency alerting system, tomorrow (Wednesday, November 16). Newfoundland and Labrador will issue one test message to be distributed over television, radio and to compatible wireless devices at 10:55 a.m. (NST) and 10:25 a.m. in most of Labrador (AST).

The Alert Ready system was developed with many partners, including federal, provincial, and territorial emergency management officials, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pelmorex, the broadcasting industry and wireless service providers. The Alert Ready system enables designated government authorities to rapidly warn the public via television, radio and compatible wireless devices of imminent or unfolding threats to life.

It is important to note that not all Canadians will receive the test alert on their wireless device. This may occur for a variety of reasons, including device compatibility, connection to an LTE network, cell tower coverage, device software and settings.

To learn more about the Alert Ready system and to check your device compatibility, visit: www.AlertReady.ca.

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Avis au public : Test national du système En Alerte prévu demain

Media contact
Emily-Jane Gillingham
Justice and Public Safety
709-729-5524, 730-4607
emilygillingham@gov.nl.ca

The post Public Advisory: National Test of Alert Ready to Take Place Tomorrow appeared first on News Releases.

The Provincial Government is inviting young, innovative, community-minded Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to apply for a seat on the Premier’s Youth Council.

The Premier’s Youth Council is comprised of 25 youth between the ages of 16 to 24.  It provides the valuable perspective of youth to the Premier, ministers and senior government officials on programs and services. Recent areas of discussion and analysis by the council include:

• Youth retention
• Mental health
• Come Home 2022
• Immigration
• Reconciliation
• Renewable energy

Those interested in joining the council can apply online here. Applications will be accepted until December 2, 2022.

The Public Service Commission will lead the recruitment for the council and will follow a merit-based appointment process. Members will serve one-year terms, with the opportunity for reappointment for an additional year.

Quote
“The youth of our province are our future, and they bring a significant and unique perspective to the decision-making process of our government. I encourage all interested youth between the ages of 16 to 24 to apply and bring their ideas, passion and enthusiasm to the Premier’s Youth Council table.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

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Learn more
Premier’s Youth Council

Follow us on Twitter @GovNL

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Media contact
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
meghanmccabe@gov.nl.ca

The post Applications Now Open for Premier’s Youth Council appeared first on News Releases.

Over 125 of the province’s top athletes were recognized today at the 18th annual Premier’s Athletic Awards in St. John’s.

The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, presented the awards, which recognize athletic excellence and provide financial support to help offset the costs of training and competition. Grants ranging from $500 to $1,500 are awarded based on the level of competition and the athletes’ respective accomplishments.

Also presented today were the Team Gushue Awards. These awards are in honour of Team Gushue’s Gold medal win at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Each award is valued at $5,000, and is presented annually to two athletes who excel in athletics and academics. This year’s winners are Jaida Lee of St. John’s (baseball) and Liam Drover-Mattinen of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s (tennis).

Jaida Lee is a Grade 12 student at Gonzaga High School in St. John’s, where she maintains a 90-plus per cent average.

She led her team to the U16 Baseball Atlantic championship as the top batter and pitcher, and is the youngest player ever invited to a Senior Women’s National Team Camp.

She was named 2022 Female Athlete of the Year by Baseball NL, and was a member of the 2022 Canada Games baseball team, where she became first female to play in the male baseball event in Canada Games history.

Liam Drover-Mattinen is from Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s. This past summer he won the U16 Atlantic Tennis Championship and the U16 National Championship.

As a member of Team Canada, he competed at the Junior Davis Cup in Türkiye, and wrapped up his season finishing second at an International Tennis Federation J3 event in Montreal, where he defeated the top-ranked player in Canada in his age group in the semi-finals. He attends Blyth Academy in Ontario, where he maintains a 90-plus per cent average.

For a complete list of recipients of the Premier’s Athletic Awards, please see the backgrounder below.

Quotes
“The Premier’s Athletic Awards support the pursuit of excellence by our province’s top athletes, who continue to excel at their sports locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. On behalf of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, I congratulate this year’s award winners on their accomplishments and offer my best wishes for their continued success.”
Honourable Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

“These athletes lead by example, showing us all how we can benefit from participation in sport. Our continued investment in sport and recreation is our way of ensuring that they have opportunities to follow their athletic dreams. Congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients.”
Honourable Steve Crocker
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation

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Learn more
Athletic Excellence Fund

Sport Newfoundland and Labrador

Follow us on Twitter: @GovNL, @TCAR_GovNL and @sportnl

Media contact
Gina MacArthur
Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
709-327-9574
ginamacarthur@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER

2022 Premier’s Athletic Awards Recipients

Sport Name Hometown Artistic Swimming Marissa Huxter Paradise Athletics Shae LeDevehat Mount Pearl   Levi Moulton Paradise   Alexandre Nunes St. John’s   James Power Goulds Ball Hockey Kieran Burke St. John’s   Jack Chafe St. John’s   Ewan Cleary Conception Bay South   Renee Faulkner St. John’s   Kyle Greene Paradise   Margaret Jones St. John’s   Brooke Lannon Placentia   Jenni Simpson Glovertown   Alyson Thomas L’Anse Au Clair Baseball Molly Healey St. John’s   Jaida Lee St. John’s   Jay Miller Corner Brook   Kayla Musseau St. John’s   Zachary Reid Mount Pearl   Nicholas Smith Flatrock   Chase Tucker Mount Pearl   Cole Tucker Mount Pearl   Braedan Walsh St. John’s   Hudson White St. John’s Basketball Nathan Barker Massey Drive   Kelsey Crocker St. John’s   Gracie Dalton Cape Broyle   Alyssa Jenkins St. John’s   Brooke LeDevehat Mount Pearl   Cole Long St. John’s   Serena Phillips St. John’s   Caleb Sooley Mount Pearl   Cameron Stanford St. John’s Bicycle Roughan Gaetz St. John’s Boccia Kristyn Collins St. John’s   Terrie Hefford Mount Pearl   Stephen Westcott Conception Bay South Bowling Amy Harris Paradise   Jack Walsh Goulds Boxing Michael Gosine Tors Cove Cross Country Skiing Jillian Coates Clarenville   Tadhg Strand St. John’s Curling Cailey Locke Conception Bay South   Nathan Locke Conception Bay South   Nathan Young Paradise Diving Merrick Noel Logy Bay Golf Taylor Cormier Corner Brook   Ethan Efford St. John’s Gymnastics Michael Drover St. John’s   Gleb Evstigneev Paradise   Grace Hill St. John’s   Jirah Hiscock St. John’s   Sarah Pace St. John’s   Kyla Piercey Middle Cove   Megan Skinner St. John’s   Jane Young Torbay Hockey Anna Barrington St. John’s   Matthew Butler St. John’s   Carmen Elliott Lewisporte   Abby Newhook St. John’s   Devan Newhook St. John’s   Michael Strapp Harbour Main   Ronan Whitten Logy Bay   Leah Wicks St. John’s   Jordan Winter St. John’s Karate Ryan Crocker Torbay   Grace Noseworthy Portugal Cove – St. Phillips   Emma Pittman Outer Cove   Alex Ryan Middle Cove   Noah Ryan Middle Cove Parasport- Athletics Jeremy Jones St. John’s   Gavin Noble Middle Arm Parasport- Swimming Nathan Luscombe Grand Falls-Windsor Powerlifting Bre Andrews Happy Valley – Goose Bay   Erin Cadigan St. John’s Rowing Teghan Byrne Portugal Cove – St. Phillips   Kaitlyn Hall Portugal Cove – St. Phillips   Alexander Kingsley St. John’s   Gabriella Mate St. John’s Rugby Devon Burt St. John’s   James Noftall St. John’s   Sophie Pickard St. John’s   John Stanley Cook St. John’s Shooting Claire McCarthy St. John’s   Naomi Tucker St. John’s Skating Sarah Burry Middle Cove   Mark Butt Bloomfield   Lily Evans Pouch Cove   Jonathan Flynn Conception Bay South   Katie Slaney Paradise   Shawna-Marie Stuckless Corner Brook   Rachael Tuff Witless Bay   Jasmine Wheadon Carbonear Snowboard Owen Lapshinoff Wabush Soccer Felly Elonda St. John’s   Morgan Harris Mount Pearl   Kate Hickey Outer Cove   Eric Knight St. John’s   Evan Knight St. John’s   Finley Manning St. John’s   Briana Pender St. John’s   Lauren Rowe Conception Bay South   Lauren Taylor St. John’s Softball Shilo Chislett Kippens   Halle Joy Harbour Main   Ryan Maher St. John’s   Jordan Pomeroy Placentia   Liam Shea Dunville   Brooklyn Shortt Carbonear   Mark Stack Petty Harbour   Abigail Woodman Torbay Swimming Abigail Andrews St. John’s   Megan Holden Mount Pearl   Jaxson Row Paradise   Abigail Williams St. John’s Taekwondo Benjamin Eddy Coley’s Point Tennis Aiden Drover-Mattinen Portugal Cove-St. Philips   Liam Drover-Mattinen Portugal Cove-St. Philips   Jasmine Rahman St. John’s   Declan Walsh St. John’s Triathlon Dylan McDougall Port aux Basques Ultimate Cameron Penney St. John’s Volleyball Cecilie Dumaresque St. John’s   Derrick Ejeckham Gander   Karen Greek Mount Pearl   Morgan Hoskins Bishop Falls   Adam James Conception Bay South   Jenna Lake Conception Bay South   Nathan Marshall Mount Pearl   Alyssa Warford Corner Brook   Claire Whiffen St. John’s

 

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Throughout Nurse Practitioner Week (November 13-19), the Provincial Government is acknowledging the high quality of health care that nurse practitioners provide, and thank them for the vital role they play in the health care system.

During Nurse Practitioner Week, the Provincial Government is taking steps to increase the number of nurse practitioners within the health care system. This aligns with government’s commitment to enable more nurse practitioners to provide care in communities throughout province, and also to introduce a number of nurse practitioner-led clinics under the regional health authorities.

The regional health authorities will immediately begin recruitment efforts to increase the number of nurse practitioners, especially in rural areas, with an aim of employing them at collaborative community team clinics that will be added throughout the province. Currently, the majority of nurse practitioners in Newfoundland and Labrador are employed in emergency departments and other specialty program areas, such as urology, cardiology, nephrology, long-term care and mental health and addictions, or with the 811 HealthLine.

As part of the primary health care transformation that was outlined in Health Accord NL, the regional health authorities have started implementation of collaborative community teams. These are multi-disciplinary teams that include family physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, pharmacists and other allied health professionals. There are currently seven collaborative community teams in various stages of implementation, with a goal of having 35 implemented over the next five years.

It is envisioned that nurse practitioner-led clinics will be a part of these teams. The goal is to expand the number of teams every year until every resident of the province is attached to a community team to meet their health and social needs. In some cases, these clinics will be led specifically by nurse practitioners, as government seeks to increase access to primary care.

It is anticipated that the addition of more nurse practitioners into the primary care field will also help alleviate pressure on the province’s emergency departments.

Quotes
“We continue our efforts to provide primary care access to residents of the province, recognizing the human resource challenges that our province, like so many others, is currently facing. Increasing the number of nurse practitioners within the health care system is another strategy we are using to address challenges in accessing primary care, particularly in some of our more rural and remote areas.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

“The improvements nurse practitioners could make in the delivery of primary care and across the health care system are significant.  This is a step to better utilize this critical health care provider. We’ll continue to work with the Provincial Government on efforts to support and more fully utilize nurse practitioners to improve patient care.”
Yvette Coffey
President, Registered Nurses’ Union of Newfoundland and Labrador

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Learn more
Follow us on Twitter @GovNL and @HCS_GovNL

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Media contact
Tina Coffey
Health and Community Services
709-729-6554, 687-9903
tcoffey@gov.nl.ca

 

The post Provincial Government Announces Steps to Increase Number of Nurse Practitioners appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will host the 18th Annual Premier’s Athletic Awards tomorrow (Monday, November 14). The Premier will be joined by the Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation.

The event will take place at the Arts and Culture Centre, 95 Allandale Road, St. John’s at 4:30 p.m. The event will also be livestreamed on the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Facebook page.

The Premier’s Athletic Awards recognize athletic excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador and provide financial support to help athletes with the costs of training and competition.

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Media contacts
Meghan McCabe
Office of the Premier
709-729-3960
meghanmccabe@gov.nl.ca

Gina MacArthur
Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
709-729-5889, 327-9574
ginamacarthur@gov.nl.ca

The post Media Advisory: Premier Furey to Present Annual Athletic Awards appeared first on News Releases.

The scheduled closure of the resource road near the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor, known locally as Sandy Road, for bridge repairs has been postponed. This closure was originally scheduled for Monday, November 14 to Wednesday, November 16.

For further information, please contact the Bishop’s Falls Forest Management District Office at: 709-258-5334.

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Media contact
Craig Renouf
Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
709-637-2923, 640-6922
craigrenouf@gov.nl.ca

 

 

The post Public Advisory: Resource Road Closure in Central Region Postponed appeared first on News Releases.

A resource road near the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor, known locally as Sand Road, will be closed to all vehicle traffic from Monday, November 14 to Wednesday, November 16 to allow for bridge repair work.

Repairs will consist of the removal and installation of new abutments to Tom Joe Bridge located at the 22 km mark on Sand Road.

For further information, please contact the Bishop’s Falls Forest Management District Office at: 709-258-5334.

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Media contact
Craig Renouf
Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
709-637-2923, 640-6922
craigrenouf@gov.nl.ca

The post Public Advisory: Resource Road in Central Region to Close for Bridge Work appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will bring greetings at “The 18,” a special Come Home 2022 concert taking place tomorrow (Friday, November 11).

The event starts at 2:00 p.m. at the Basilica of St. John the Baptist, 200 Military Road, St. John’s.

The concert will portray the remarkable story of the children at London’s Beatrix Potter School, who discovered and began the tradition of paying tribute to the graves of 18 Newfoundland First World War soldiers.

The event is free for all ages. Event organizers will be accepting donations at the door for the Royal Canadian Legion’s Poppy Campaign, which supports veterans and their families.

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Media contact
Khadija Rehma
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
khadijarehma@gov.nl.ca

The post Media Advisory: Minister Abbott to Bring Greetings at “The 18: A Come Home Year Concert of Remembrance” appeared first on News Releases.

As announced on October 5, the Provincial Government will issue a one-time cost of living relief cheque of up to $500 to residents of the province who have reached the age of 18 years old as of December 31, 2022 and who filed a 2021 tax return with an adjusted income of $125,000 or less.

Please ensure your 2021 income tax return is filed by December 31, 2022. For those with a modest income and a simple tax situation, Canada Revenue Agency’s free tax clinics can help individuals file their taxes before the deadline. Visit Canada.ca/taxes-help or call 1-855-516-4405 for more information.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will issue cheques beginning mid-November 2022. Cheques will be processed over a period of at least six weeks, with the processing order based upon individual incomes (lowest to highest).

Cheques will be mailed to eligible residents based on their address on file with the Canada Revenue Agency as of June 2022. Please contact the Tax Administration Division at 1-877-729-6376 or email taxadmin@gov.nl.ca should you require an address change or have any questions about this program.

Please note: Information from the 2021 tax return will be used for the purpose of administering the cost of living relief cheques as authorized under section 68 of the Income Tax Act, 2000. All information will be used and kept confidential in compliance with the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015.

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Media contact
Victoria Barbour
Finance
709-729-4087, 327-6152
victoriabarbour@gov.nl.ca

The post Public Advisory: To Receive Cost of Living Relief Cheques, Please Ensure 2021 Income Tax Return is Filed appeared first on News Releases.

The Provincial Government is monitoring forecast information on the weather system currently classified as Tropical Storm Nicole, which is anticipated to track near or over much of the province from Saturday (November 12) into Sunday (November 13).

The system will impact much of Newfoundland and Labrador, with the weather varying depending on the region. The system is anticipated to include high winds, rain, snow, freezing rain and ice pellets. It is also forecasted that large waves and storm surge are possible along coastlines.

We encourage residents to monitor the forecast for the most up-to-date information. Regional forecast information is available from Environment Canada.

Municipalities and local service districts are advised to review their emergency management plans and ensure infrastructure such as roads, ditches and drains are clear of debris, and appropriate provisions are made for the delivery of services during the duration of the weather event. Preparations to protect vulnerable coastal locations should begin as soon as possible given the potential of damage to infrastructure.

Residents are asked to use caution and to take steps to ensure their own personal safety. Residents should always have a basic emergency kit available and be prepared for at least 72 hours, with food, water, batteries, a portable radio and prescription medications.

Drivers should consider the forecast before travelling this weekend. Plan ahead and check the provincial road conditions using the NL 511 app or visit nl511.ca. Remember to drive according to the conditions in your area. Plan in advance to have your vehicles fueled and to have cash on hand. Drivers should also consider packing an emergency kit for their vehicle.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador encourages everyone to be prepared for adverse weather conditions during hurricane season. Visit Be Prepared for more information on emergency preparedness.

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Media contacts
Emily-Jane Gillingham
Justice and Public Safety
709-729-2634, 730-4607
emilygillingham@gov.nl.ca

Kathryn Summers
Transportation and Infrastructure
709-729-1758, 699-6147
kathrynsummers@gov.nl.ca

The post Public Advisory: Residents and Communities Encouraged to Be Prepared Ahead of Approaching Post-Tropical Storm Nicole appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will attend the Royal Canadian Legion Remembrance Day ceremony tomorrow (Friday, November 11). The ceremony is being held at the National War Memorial in St. John’s starting at 10:55 a.m.

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Media contact
Khadija Rehma
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
khadijarehma@gov.nl.ca

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A contract valued at approximately $7.8 million has been awarded to Complete Concrete Solutions Ltd. to replace Romaine’s River Bridge on the Port au Port Highway, Route 460, in Western Newfoundland.

The scope of work will include the construction of a new concrete girder, two-span bridge with a concrete deck on the south side of the current bridge. The project also includes the realignment of the highway and the removal of the existing 8.8-metre wide bridge.

The more than 12-metre wide bridge will also be capable of withstanding increased water flows during major weather events, including resistance to ice damming.

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure anticipates construction of the bridge, which was funded through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, being completed in 2024.

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 nl511.ca and on the NL 511 mobile app.

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“This highway construction season has been a great success, with more than 40 bridge rehabilitations and six bridge replacements that are currently under construction on provincial highways. Replacing Romaine’s River Bridge will help keep communities on the Port au Port Peninsula connected. We look forward to replacing more bridges next year.”
Honourable Elvis Loveless
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure

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Learn more
Provincial Roads Plan Outlines Highway Construction Projects for Two Construction Seasons

Tender Issued to Replace Romaine’s River Bridge on Port au Port Highway

Contract Awarded for Bridge Replacement on Trans-Canada Highway Near Grand Falls-Windsor

Media contact
Kathryn Summers
Transportation and Infrastructure
709-729-1758, 699-6147
kathrynsummers@gov.nl.ca

The post Contract Awarded to Replace Romaine’s River Bridge on the Port au Port Highway appeared first on News Releases.

A number of frontline health care workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Association of Allied Health Professionals (AAHP) are set to benefit from several short-term financial incentives, as the Provincial Government continues its efforts to target areas of the health care workforce that are experiencing significant challenges. In collaboration with the leadership of CUPE and AAHP, these measures are designed to help address the recruitment and retention issues facing health care professionals in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services, along with Sherry Hillier, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and Gordon Piercey, President of the Association of Allied Health Professionals, will be available to the media today (Thursday, November 10) at 11:00 a.m. to discuss these measures. The availability will take place in the East Block lobby, Confederation Building, and will be livestreamed on Facebook.

The initiatives developed to address the immediate CUPE and AAHP workforce challenges are:

• Retention Bonuses: A retention bonus is available to identified CUPE and AAHP members, targeted to areas where there is an identified retention and recruitment challenge, for a return-in-service commitment;
• Reimbursement of Licensing Fees for Applicable Retired Health Care Providers: Licensing fees will be paid for those who wish to return to work; and
• Double Rate Overtime: This measure is available to identified CUPE and AAHP members, targeted to areas where there is an identified retention and recruitment challenge, and is available until January 31, 2023. It will reduce delays in filling schedules and also should reduce the number of mandated and extended shifts.

The Regional Health Authorities will be reaching out to eligible employees in the next week with further details.

Recruitment and retention continues to be a challenge across all health care professions locally, nationally and internationally. As a result, the Provincial Government continues to work with health care professionals, and has implemented a number of creative measures to help curb the workforce challenges and encourage recruitment. More information on these measures is available here.

This recruitment and retention package follows other recent initiatives announced in partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees, the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association and the Registered Nurses’ Union of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Quotes
“I want to thank Ms. Hillier and Mr. Piercey for working with us to develop strategies that address a number of challenges faced by their members. While we recognize that recruitment and retention issues dominate health care systems around the globe, we are dedicated to finding creative answers to the situation here in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is our intention that today’s announcement will have meaningful results for CUPE and AAHP health care members.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

“CUPE has worked with the Provincial Government to facilitate the implementation of immediate measures for the retention and recruitment of health care workers. There is still much to do to improve the working conditions for all health care workers, including those not touched by today’s announcement. CUPE has developed additional proposals the government can adopt to attract and keep workers in the public health system. We look forward to continuing to work with government next month, as we begin collective agreement negotiations for health care and other provincial workers.”
Sherry Hillier
President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees

“On behalf of our Allied Health Professionals, I would like to thank the Premier, Minister Osborne and employees of the Department of Health and Community Services for their commitment and partnership with us over the past several months towards these incentives. We all know that there are pervasive shortages across most health care professionals, here and across the country. This critical challenge is not going away anytime soon unless we take action now with holistic and creative strategies to both keep the health care professionals already in our system and to compete and attract new health professionals from outside the province. We look forward to our continued partnership with government to make sure we get there – all of us need to know there is accessible, quality health care available for ourselves, our families and our communities.”
Gordon Piercey
President of the Association of Allied Health Professionals

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Media contacts
Laura Thomas
Health and Community Services
709-729-6986, 727-0341
laurathomas@gov.nl.ca

Colleen Reynolds
CUPE Atlantic Communications
902-809-2253
creynolds@cupe.ca

Administrative Officer
Association of Allied Health Professionals
709-722-3353, 631-4862
info@aahp.ca

The post Recruitment and Retention Measures Announced for CUPE and AAHP Frontline Health Care Workers appeared first on News Releases.

The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, will bring greetings at the 48th annual Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Christmas Craft Fair tomorrow (Thursday, November 10).

The event will take place at Jack Byrne Arena, 7 Kennedys Brook Drive, Torbay, beginning at 1:00 p.m.

The Craft Council Christmas Craft Fair is the largest and longest juried craft fair in the province, and has been celebrating makers and traditions since 1973.

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Media contact
Khadija Rehma
Children, Seniors and Social Development
709-729-3768, 730-2977
khadijarehma@gov.nl.ca

 

 

The post Media Advisory: Minister Abbott to Bring Greetings at Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador Annual Christmas Craft Fair appeared first on News Releases.