Government of Newfoundland News

Municipal Affairs and Environment

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

Executive Council

The Provincial Government today released The Way Forward with Community: A Sector Work Plan to Advance the Social and Economic Contribution of Community Organizations. The work plan can be viewed here.

Finance

Budget Speech 2019 delivered by the Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, at the Fourth Session of the Forty-Eighth General Assembly of the House of Assembly:

Executive Council
Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will participate in the announcement and signing of a bilateral housing agreement with the Government of Canada tomorrow (Wednesday, April 17).

Tourism, Culture, Industry, Innovation

The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, today released the Cultural Action Plan that reflects the importance of culture to the provincial economy. Developed with input from stakeholders throughout the province, the action plan is a guide for cultural collaboration over the next five years.

Finance

Budget highlight sheets outlining initiatives in Budget 2019 can be accessed at the following links:

Health and Community Services
Children, Seniors and Social Development
Education and Early Childhood Development

The Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services, along with the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, and the Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, will release the Autism Action Plan tomorrow (Wednesday, April 17) in the Media Centre, East Block, Confederation Building at 10:00 a.m.

Finance

Through Budget 2019, the Provincial Government is providing tax relief and reducing costs for residents across the province. Budget 2019 includes no tax or fee increases, and government is taking the additional step of eliminating the Retail Sales Tax (RST) on automobile insurance. This change will be implemented by early July and will be retroactive to April 16, 2019. Those who renew their insurance between now and July will receive a rebate for the RST payment on their insurance.

Finance

The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, today released Budget 2019: Working Towards a Brighter Future, which maintains government’s commitment to longterm financial sustainability while also supporting job and industry development and improving access to government services.

Fisheries and Land Resources

Residents are cautioned that reports of a polar bear have been confirmed in the New-Wes-Valley area of Bonavista North. Conservation officers are monitoring the situation.

Natural Resources

The Provincial Government, in partnership with Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro, is seeking Expressions of Interest for renewable energy solutions in the province’s regulated isolated diesel-powered electricity systems. The Expressions of Interest can be found at www.gpa.gov.nl.ca/gs/report/TenderGS.asp?conRFQ=EOIENERGY.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, has announced that five projects will receive Community Transportation Grants totalling $300,000. A full list of the selected projects and the funding they will receive can be found in the backgrounder below.

Transportation and Works

Visitors to the Confederation Building Complex in St. John’s are advised that Budget Day parking restrictions will be implemented tomorrow (Tuesday, April 16).

Fisheries and Land Resources

Mr. Speaker, more than 80 per cent of the forest fires that occur in Newfoundland and Labrador are preventable. In 2018, 106 out of 132 fires were caused by human activity, and 12 of those fires occurred before fire season even started, in early April – a time when many people have the misconception that spring conditions are safe for burning.

Education and Early Childhood Development

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in this Honourable House to provide an update on the K-6 Mathematics Bursary Program.

Advanced Education, Skills and Labour
Finance
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

The Honourable Tom Osborne, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation and the Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, today announced initiatives aimed at taking advantage of growing opportunities in the global aerospace industry for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Service NL
Justice and Public Safety

Changes to the Automobile Insurance Act and the Insurance Companies Act will receive second reading in the House of Assembly today. The changes are intended to help stabilize insurance rates while enhancing consumer protection to benefit the people of the province.

Children, Seniors and Social Development

The Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services, announced on April 13 that the Town of Gander will host the 2022 Newfoundland and Labrador Winter Games.

House of Assembly

The House of Assembly advises that media will be permitted access to the Chamber floor for the 2019 Budget Speech for photography/videography purposes.

Executive Council
Natural Resources

Today, the Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, was joined by the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister of Natural Resources, to release “Protecting You from the Cost Impacts of Muskrat Falls.”