Government of Newfoundland News

Service NL

The Honourable Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Minister of Service NL, will unveil the new, more secure driver’s licence for the province on Tuesday, October 10. The event will take place at 2:00 p.m. at the Vital Statistics Division boardroom located in the Motor Registration Division Building, 149 Smallwood Drive, Mount Pearl.

Children, Seniors and Social Development
Health and Community Services

The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, and the Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services, will speak at the Northern Rural and Remote Health Conference in Labrador.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

The Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation is now accepting applications for the 2018 Research Inspired Student Enrichment (RISE) Awards competition. Award recipients are given the opportunity to attend research-related enrichment programs in Canada and the United States.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

The Provincial Government is acknowledging Fire Prevention Week which runs from October 8-14. This year’s theme is “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” and the government is encouraging residents, families, educators, and fire departments to learn more about the critical importance of developing a home escape plan and practicing it.

Finance

The 2016-17 Public Accounts, the audited financial statements of the province for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2017, released today confirm that the deficit for the year was $1.1 billion, as anticipated in the 2016-17 Projected Revised Budget. Government remains on target with its approach to deficit reduction.

Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

Following its inaugural meeting yesterday, the NL Innovation Council outlined commitments to support to government in advancing the provincial innovation agenda. A key commitment coming out of the meeting was to develop performance indicators for innovation, both for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation and province-wide. These targets will allow the council and department to measure effectiveness of programs and services.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

The Provincial Government announced today that it is contributing over $220,000 to upgrade the wastewater and sewer systems in the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay. The total value of the projects which also include federal and municipal components is approximately $620,000.

Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

Further commitment to the development of the co-operative sector in Newfoundland and Labrador was on display recently, as the Provincial Government and the Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of Co-operatives (NLFC) signed a new five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the NLFC annual general meeting in St. John’s.

Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, will attend an event to celebrate the completion of the Holyrood Marine Facility tomorrow (Friday, October 6). The event takes place at the Holyrood Marine Facility, Northside Road, Holyrood at 1:00 p.m.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

The Honourable Perry Trimper, MHA for Lake Melville will participate in an announcement related to investments in infrastructure for the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay tomorrow (Friday, October 6). Also participating in the announcement will be Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament for Labrador, on behalf of the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

Municipal Affairs and Environment

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

Fisheries and Land Resources

Hunters throughout the province are being encouraged to familiarize themselves with current firearm regulations and are reminded to practice safe firearm use while taking part in hunting activity this season.

Education and Early Childhood Development

The dedication and contributions of teachers and educators in Newfoundland and Labrador and throughout the world are being recognized today in honour of World Teachers’ Day.

Executive Council
Advanced Education, Skills and Labour

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, today announced more than $311,000 to advance the growth of a local business and to support economic development in central Newfoundland.

Transportation and Works

A project to add an extension to Mobile Central High to accommodate additional school capacity is currently underway.

Education and Early Childhood Development

Teachers, staff and students today celebrated the official opening of the new Gander Elementary School. The Honourable Dale Kirby, Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, toured the new school today with the Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services and MHA for Gander. They were joined by representatives of the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District and members of the community.

Transportation and Works

The Placentia Lift Bridge is currently closed to all marine traffic to facilitate electrical repairs.

Justice and Public Safety

The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General was today joined by Owen Brophy, Superintendent of Prisons for Newfoundland and Labrador, to announce that Adult Corrections is developing a new, progressive segregation policy for adult correctional centres in the province. The new policy is being developed after a thorough review of current standards and practices and will make Newfoundland and Labrador a national leader in its approach to disciplinary segregation.

Executive Council
Municipal Affairs and Environment

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, was joined today by the Honourable Al Hawkins, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour and MHA for Grand-Falls – Buchans, to announce over $263,000 in provincial funding for municipal infrastructure projects in Millertown. The overall investment in the projects, which also includes federal and municipal support, is $463,000.

Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation

Through investments totalling close to $260,000 from the Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada, the iconic Resource Centre for the Arts, a mainstay of the St. John’s cultural scene, will improve its facilities and implement a development plan to enhance its sustainability and nurture the development of the province’s cultural and tourism industries.