HALIFAX: Provincial officials have decided to extend the state of emergency.
Last week, the province announced it is renewing the state of emergency to protect the health and safety of Nova Scotians and ensure the safe reopening of businesses and services. The order took effect at noon Sunday, July 12 and extends to noon Sunday, July 26, unless government terminates or extends it.
Also last week, the province announced that Visitor Information Centres (VICs), including Port Hastings, have reopened, offering in-person visitor services and trip counselling. To assist travellers, it is offering a range of trip-planning resources and services.
New safety measures at VICs include the installation of plexiglass barriers, signs and guides, and enhanced cleaning protocols.
Additionally, new services offer personalized support while following physical distancing protocols, and include a curbside assistance window to provide counselling, guides, maps and brochures at the Port Hastings location.
There will also be an outdoor dispenser with guides and maps, and people can call or e-mail the visitor information centre of their choice to pre-order specific information for outdoor pick up
Tourism Nova Scotia’s Web site, NovaScotia.com, is used by millions of visitors every year to help plan their Nova Scotia vacation. New Web site features include a wish list function to build a customized itinerary, a mapping tool to show business listings within a specific area, and fresh content including photos, videos, sample itineraries and stories to provide trip planning inspiration.
“Like everyone in the tourism industry, we’ve had to adapt how we do things this year,” said Michele Saran, CEO, Tourism Nova Scotia. “We’re excited to help Nova Scotians and Atlantic Canadians plan an unforgettable Nova Scotian adventure.”
This year, the Doers and Dreamers Travel Guide is available free on-line or by mail to Nova Scotians at: https://www.novascotia.com/travel-info/travel-guide. For visitor information centre locations, hours of operation and contact information visit: https://www.novascotia.com/travel-info/visitor-centres. Tourism Nova Scotia’s Contact Centre provides year-round trip planning assistance by phone and e-mail. Call their toll-free number at 1-800-565-0000 or visit them at: explore@novascotia.ca.
Also last week the province confirmed that travellers entering Nova Scotia from outside the Atlantic Canadian bubble must fill out a tracking and self-declaration form, available at: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/alerts-notices/Self-declaration-Form-Tracking-Travellers-to-Nova-Scotia.pdf.
Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health for Nova Scotia said not allowing visitors into the province is impractical.
“Opening up our province to visitors and Nova Scotians coming back is essential to many businesses to re-opening our economy,” Dr. Strang noted. “It’s also important, for vital reasons, for families and social connections. We cannot remain locked down forever. We do have to open up and allow more travel. At the same time, we have to do that safely.”
Non-bubble visitors must provide an address where they will be staying and self-isolating for 14 days and a phone number where they can be reached 24/7. Provincial staff will contact those visitors every day to make sure they are observing the 14-day self-isolation requirement.
If visitors who are supposed to be self-isolating do not answer their phone after three attempts in one day, police will be called and in-person checks will be conducted. The fine for violating the Health Protection Order is $1,000 for a first offence.
Because of the amount of questions about people entering Canada and Nova Scotia from outside Atlantic Canada, Premier Stephen McNeil has been in discussions with the Canada Border Services Agency. The premier said the border is closed but Canadian citizens cannot be prevented from entering the country. For their part, provincial officials will continue to take information from those entering Nova Scotia.
McNeil said his point of contention is those who enter the province and do not self-isolated for 14 days.
“I am as frustrated as all of you,” the premier said on July 6. “We have worked hard together and sacrificed so much in this province to help flatten the curve only to have some people come in to our province and think they’re above it all. They think that the rules don’t apply to them, guess what, they do.”