Government of Newfoundland News

Education

Planning for full-day Kindergarten, announced in Budget 2014: Shared Prosperity, Fair Society, Balanced Outlook, is well underway and the program is on track for implementation province-wide in September 2016. The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, provided a full-day Kindergarten update today (Wednesday, August 27) to participants at Play the Kindergarten Way, a two-day workshop focusing on early literacy development and play-based learning.

Transportation and Works

The Department of Transportation and Works is advising that the Sir Richard Squires Building in Corner Brook is closed until further notice due to problems with the sewer line.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer

The following are the preliminary results from the August 26, 2014, St. George’s - Stephenville East by-election.

Natural Resources
Environment and Conservation

The Department of Natural Resources advises that 130 hectares of forest plantation was treated with the herbicide Forza today (Tuesday, August 26) to control competing vegetation in the Clam Pond Resource Road area of Forest Management District 16. The treatment was part of the department’s 2014 Aerial Vegetation Management Program which has now concluded.

Education

The Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education, will provide an update on full-day Kindergarten planning tomorrow (Wednesday, August 27) at Play the Kindergarten Way, a two-day information workshop that focuses on early literacy development and play-based learning. Minister King’s address will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the District School, 116 Strawberry Marsh Road, St. John’s.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

The Provincial Government is investing over $56,000 to enhance firefighting capabilities in the District of Burgeo – La Poile. The funding will be used for the purchase of firefighting equipment for communities throughout the district.

Environment and Conservation

The Honourable Vaughn Granter, Minister of Environment and Conservation, has announced the following events relative to Part 10 Environmental Assessment of the Environmental Protection Act.

Tourism, Culture and Recreation

Due to uncompleted electrical upgrading by Newfoundland Power this past weekend, the Clarenville Visitor Information Centre will be closed again today (Tuesday, August 26).

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer

Ordinary polling for the St. George’s - Stephenville East by-election is taking place today (Tuesday, August 26). The polls are open from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Natural Resources

The Department of Natural Resources advises that two prescribed burns will be undertaken tomorrow (Tuesday, August 26) weather permitting. This includes 21-hectares near Robinsons River in Forest Management District 14 located approximately 10 kilometres east of the community of Robinsons; and 215-hectares in an area referred to locally as Clam Pond located approximately six kilometres southwest of Hampden and four kilometres inside the Clam Pond Resource Road in Forest Management District 16.

Transportation and Works

To celebrate the progress being made on the new $49.5 million Bell Island ferry, the Honourable Nick McGrath, Minister of Transportation and Works, along with the Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Service NL and MHA for Conception Bay East – Bell Island, joined area residents at the Bell Island lighthouse celebrate the new vessel’s keel laying ceremony which recently took place at Damen Shipyards in Romania. This marks a major milestone in the construction of the ferry, which will be delivered in February 2016.

Office of the Chief Electoral Officer

Elections Newfoundland and Labrador would like to notify qualified electors in the district of St. George’s - Stephenville East that the by-election will take place tomorrow (Tuesday, August 26.) The polls will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Transportation and Works

The Honourable Nick McGrath, Minister of Transportation and Works, was joined today by residents of Fogo Island and Change Islands to celebrate the keel laying of the new $51 million ferry that will be delivered in September 2015.

Tourism, Culture and Recreation

Due to major electric upgrading by Newfoundland Power in the Clarenville area, the Clarenville Visitor Information Centre will be closed from 5:00 p.m. today (Friday, August 22) to Sunday, August 24. The centre will reopen Monday, August 25 at 9:00 a.m.

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Ed Ring, has released his Report A-2014-011 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A summary of the Report is included below.

Transportation and Works

The Honourable Nick McGrath, Minister of Transportation and Works, will be joined by the Honourable David Brazil, Minister of Service NL and MHA for Conception Bay East - Bell Island, as well as area residents, to celebrate the keel laying of the new Bell Island ferry on Monday, August 25.

Natural Resources

The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Natural Resources, will attend the annual Energy and Mines Ministers Conference from August 24 to 26 in Sudbury, Ontario. The conference takes place at Laurentian University and is co-hosted this year by the Ontario Ministry of Energy, the Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, and Mines and Natural Resources Canada.

Environment and Conservation

The Department of Environment and Conservation advises that Seaward’s Bridge at the Little Come By Chance River, near Goobies in the T’Railway Provincial Park, will close to all pedestrian, ATV, and vehicular traffic effective Monday, August 25.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

The Provincial Government is investing over $20,000 to enhance firefighting capabilities in the communities of Hopedale and Nain. The funding will be used for the purchase of a new all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with tracks to transport firefighting equipment for the community of Hopedale, and four sets of personal protective equipment for Nain.

Advanced Education and Skills

Keith Russell, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, will speak at the Conservation Corps’ annual Partner Thank-You Day tomorrow (Friday, August 22). The ceremony will take place at 1:00 p.m. at the Manuels River Hibernia Interpretation Centre, 7 Conception Bay Highway, Conception Bay South.