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Today marks the beginning of Phase 3 of reopening Nova Scotia. Highlights include:
Travel:
Residents of Atlantic Canada can travel to Nova Scotia without having to self-isolate. If they are already in Nova Scotia, they can stop isolating today.
People from other provinces and territories can come to Nova Scotia for any reason. They need to complete the Nova Scotia Safe Check-in form, upload their proof of vaccination electronically, and be prepared to show it if asked by border officials. The requirement to self-isolate or not is based on vaccination status. If they have had:
- two doses of vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in Nova Scotia, people will not have to self-isolate. Testing when they arrive is recommended.
- one dose of vaccine at least 14 days before arrival and a second dose less than 14 days before arrival, they must self-isolate for at least seven days and cannot leave isolation until they get two negative tests results while in Nova Scotia. Tests should be on day one or two and on day five or six after arrival.
- no vaccine - people who have not had any vaccine and those who had a first dose within 14 days of arrival must isolate for 14 days. Testing at the beginning and end of their isolation continues to be recommended.
Gatherings
- Informal gatherings can include a household plus 10 people indoors, or 25 people total outdoors without physical distance.
- Faith gatherings, weddings, funerals, and associated receptions and visitation hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50% capacity to a maximum of 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors.
Business
- Restaurants and licensed establishments continue to operate with existing mask and distancing rules. Customers can go to the bar to order. Establishments must stop service by midnight and close by 1 am. They can have performers following the limit for arts and culture performances.
- All retail stores can operate at 75% capacity.
- Personal services such as hair salons, barber shops, and spas can offer all services by appointment or drop-in, following their sector plan.
- Meetings and training hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50% capacity to a maximum of 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors.
- Events hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50% capacity to a maximum of 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors. Organizers need a plan following guidelines for events.
Recreation and sport
- Fitness and recreation facilities such as gyms, yoga studios, pools, and arenas can operate at 75% capacity with public health measures.
- A wide variety of recreation and leisure businesses and organizations, such as dance classes, music lessons, escape rooms and indoor play spaces, can operate at 50% capacity.
- Organized sports practices, games, league play and recreation programs can involve up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors without physical distancing. There can be no tournaments.
- Audiences follow the gathering limits for events hosted by a recognized business or organization.
- Day camps can operate with 20 campers per group plus staff and volunteers, following the day camp guidelines.
- Overnight summer camps can operate with 15 campers per group plus staff and volunteers, following the overnight camp guidelines.
Arts and culture
- Professional and amateur arts and culture rehearsals and performances can involve up to 15 people indoors and 25 outdoors without physical distancing.
- Audiences follow the gathering limits for events hosted by a recognized business or organization.
- Museums, libraries, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia can open at 50% capacity.
Continuing care
- Indoor visits with fully vaccinated residents can resume in designated visitation areas at long-term care facilities.
- Physical distancing is no longer required for outdoor visits at long-term care facilities.
- Fully vaccinated residents can go to indoor and outdoor public places like parks, stores and restaurants.
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Vaccines
Our vaccination rate in Nova Scotia is high, but it could be higher! Folks in the 20- to 30-year-old age range, please get a vaccine. You can book here, or hop across the harbour to the convention centre for their drop in vaccine clinic. Protect yourself, your family, and your neighbours.
If for some reason, you didn't receive your vaccination record, you can request one online. You'll need your health card number and the email address used to book your COVID-19 vaccination appointment. Once you submit the form, you will receive an email with a link to your immunization record.
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Remember to keep up with weekly tests even after you've received both doses of vaccine. Testing is the best way for Public Health to keep up with the status of COVID-19 in our province and can help keep us from having to shut down again.
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Class of 2021
Congratulations to all students graduating from high school this year!
You have made it through an incredibly difficult and tumultuous year. I hope you are proud of all the challenges to which you have risen over the last 15 months. I wish you success and happiness as you move on to the next stage of life. Please do reach out to my office if there is anything I can do to help!
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Looking forward to when we can celebrate graduations in person again!
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Childcare in Downtown Dartmouth
June has brought the sad news that downtown Dartmouth is officially without a daycare. Victoria Children’s Centre has relocated to the old Southdale North Woodside school and will accommodate children attending Dartmouth South Academy. I’m very glad that VCC was able to find a location but feel for the many families contacting me who are unable to remain there because their children attend different schools. I will continue to advocate for universal, accessible, low-cost early childhood education for all Nova Scotians, and for expanded before and after school care. Our education system is still structured the way it was in the 1950s. It’s time we acknowledge that we’re in a new millennium and ensure that our institutions catch up.
July 1st
Indigenous people have been talking about the horrors of residential schools for years. In the last few weeks, with the media coverage of the discovery of unmarked graves across the country, more Canadians are taking note.
Tomorrow, July 1st, take the time to learn and reflect.
- Adults: Read the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions Calls to Action. Read here.
- Kids: Read Spirit Bear's Guide to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, created by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society. Read here.
Additionally, in an effort to increase awareness and create dialogue around residential schools and their lasting impacts we will be giving away 100 copies of "I’m Finding My Talk" tomorrow, July 1st from 1-3 pm. Drop by the MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning at 50 Queen Street or Susan Leblanc’s MLA office at 260 Wyse Road.
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Presented by the MacPhee Centre for Creative Learning with support from Dartmouth MLAs Claudia Chender and Susan Leblanc and the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission. While supplies last. Please maintain social distance and wear masks.
Dartmouth Lakes
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The issue of urban lakes in Dartmouth is back in the news this week as Susan Leblanc and I have been meeting with stakeholders in the community. We have been working together on this issue since 2019. The importance of the Dartmouth urban lakes cannot be understated.
Watching the heatwave in the Pacific Northwest makes me so grateful to have a selection of lakes in which to cool off within walking distance. But we know from experience that as the summer waxes and temperatures rise, so does toxic blue-green algae and weeds, causing the shutdown of our lakes.
If you think the Province should act in safeguarding our lakes, please email the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and let him know!
I also recommend you check out what Councillor Sam Austin has been up to in supporting lake health.
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Power Outages in Dartmouth
Last Saturday, a transformer exploded in Downtown Dartmouth causing another power outage in our community. This is just another event in the long line of seemingly random power outages that Dartmouth residents have endured. I've spoken to Nova Scotia Power's monopoly in this province in the legislature in 2019 and most recently, in April of this year, asked the Premier about repeated power outages:
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Nova Scotia Power Monopoly - Question Period - 1 April 2021
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Residents deserve better. Small businesses deserve better -- especially as they try to recover from the shut-downs during the last 15 months. I'm happy to tell you I'll be meeting with Nova Scotia Power in June to discuss the inconsistent service in Dartmouth.
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Food Deserts
Thanks to Ian and Mary who interviewed me for their documentary on food deserts this morning--an issue North Woodside residents, in particular, are very familiar with. (See my post from 2019 here)
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Food deserts are regions where people have limited access to healthy and affordable food. This may be due to having a low income or having to travel farther to find healthy food options.
Ian and Mary are looking to speak to individuals in Nova Scotia who live in food deserts and have difficulty accessing essential groceries - this may be due to having to travel some distance, difficulty in getting to the store by public transit, having to take taxis, or walking long distances.
If you'd like to talk to them about your experience, please reach out: ian.john.wilson@gmail.com.
In other news, the Kiwanis Kone shack opened up last week so you know it's summer in Dartmouth!
Best,
Claudia
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ReachAbility is excited to host Seniors Week! This week will feature events by, for and with seniors from October 1-7, 2021. In order to ensure we are effectively engaging the senior community and creating events that reflect their needs and interests, we are assembling a Senior Advisory Board composed of individuals 55+.
Members of the board will serve to inform and direct the events of the week based on survey data we collect from seniors in the community. Duties may also include recruiting, organizing and coordinating with event volunteers.
We anticipate holding 6-8 board meetings total, once every 2 weeks from mid-July to mid-October. The cut-off date for interested parties will be July 9th as we are looking to hold our first board meeting on July 15.
Contact seniors@reachability.org for more information.
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Eastern Front Theatre is hiring an Archivist to organize and digitize audio and video archival materials, as well as search out missing/additional items from their 29-year history. This will include outreach to interested community members to collect memories of Eastern Front Theatre.
This position is an 8 week, full-time (flexible) contract available as part of the NS Summer Skills program.
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The Dartmouth Seniors Service Centre is hosting a toiletry and nutrition drive for Feed Nova Scotia. They are seeking:
- Meal replacement drinks
- Incontinence briefs and pads
- Toothpaste and toothbrushes
- Deodorant
- Lotion
- Soap and shampoo
Drop off all donations at the DSSC, 45 Ochterloney Street on Monday - Thursday from 9 am - 4 pm, or, Friday from 9 am - 2 pm.
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Parker Street Food & Furniture Bank is in need of a new refrigerated truck to support the operations of their food and furniture pick up and delivery programs. They depend on trucks to meet the needs of financially vulnerable individuals in our community.
As of June 22, 2021, they have received approximately $20,000 in donations. More information here.
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Halifax Regional Arts is proud to announce our Fall production is Disney's High School Musical! We are looking for HRCE students in grades 9-12 who are interested in Acting, Music, Dance, Singing, and Technical crew. Auditions, Rehearsals and Performances will be in person at Prince Andrew High School next year! In-person Auditions start Sept 1st and rehearsals are Monday and Wednesday nights from 5:30-9:30 pm starting early in September 2021. More Information and sign-up are here.
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Sullivan Sessions is an outdoor summer concert series in Sullivan's Pond in Downtown Dartmouth. Follow them on Facebook to stay up to date with their events!
First up is George Woodhouse & the Public Service, TALL POPPY, & Noel Morgan Band on July 3rd.
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Mental Health Resources
Mental Health Mobile Crisis Team
902-429-8167 or 1-888-429-8167 (toll-free)
Crisis support for children, youth and adults experiencing a mental health crisis by phone 24/7 anywhere in Nova Scotia and a Mobile Response from 1 pm to 1 am to most communities in HRM.
Kids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868
Kids Help Phone is always there for you. No matter what you want to talk about, we’re here to listen. No judgment, totally private, 24/7. Live Chat is open daily from 8 pm to 1 am AT. They will be accepting new chats until 12:15 am AT only, in order to help ensure that all conversations are responded to by 1 am.
NSHA & IWK Mental Health and Addictions Intake Line
1-855-922-1122
For help with a mental health or addiction concern, the Nova Scotia Mental Health and Addictions team is available to take your call Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.
Morneau Shepell
1-844-751-2133
24/7 national crisis support line that is available to anyone in need of emotional support. By calling the crisis line, individuals will receive crisis counselling support and/or referral to community resources. This resource is available to anyone and everyone, client or not.
Eskasoni Mental Health Services (Indigenous Nova Scotians only)
902-379-2099 or 1-855-379-2099 (toll-free) or Facebook: @EskasoniCrisisWorker
Culturally appropriate, community-based, and community-led mental health and addiction services available 24/7 by phone or via Facebook. Crisis intervention and referral services, central intake, ASIST/Safe Talk/Mental Health First Aid.
Pause: Mental Health Walk-In Clinic (ANS only)
1-800-598-5270 (toll-free)
A mental health drop-in program where community members can access a 45 minutes counselling session on a first-come-first-served basis. Currently only operating via telephone due to restrictions around COVID-19. Tuesdays & Thursdays, 5 pm – 8 pm. Call at any time, leave your name and a call back number and the coordinator will reach out to you with an appointment time. You do not need a health card or a mental health diagnosis. You do not need to be a patient of the NECHC.
Association of Black Social Workers (ANS only)
1-855-732-1253 (toll-free) or email nsabswcovid19@gmail.com
Providing support to members of the African Nova Scotian community by phone and email Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. For after-hours calls, please allow up to 12 hours for a callback.
Crisis Text Line
Crisis Text Line is available for adults who are going through a difficult time and need someone to text with. This service is free and available 24/7. Special support is available for frontline workers.
Text NSSTRONG to 741741
Frontline workers: text FRONTLINE to 741741
Good2Talk Nova Scotia
Good2Talk Nova Scotia provides support for university and college students.
Call toll-free: 1-833-292-3698 or text GOOD2TALKNS to 686868
Healthy Minds Cooperative
902 404-3504 ext. 201
The HMC patient navigator, Brad, can help connect you with the appropriate support services within your community. Services in the community: support groups, programs and workshops, referral services, self-advocacy, web-based resources
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COVID-19 Information
How and Where to get a COVID-19 Test
Primary Testing Sites. For symptomatic and asymptomatic testing. Book online or call 811. Dartmouth locations are Burnside/Dartmouth Crossing, by the Dartmouth General Hospital, and the Zatazman Sportsplex.
Public Health Mobile Units. Pre-book your appointment at the mobile unit online, call 811. Click here for mobile unit locations.
Pop-Up Rapid Testing. Asymptomatic testing. No appointment is necessary. This option is for you if you are over 16 and have no symptoms or exposures.
Click here for rapid testing locations.
Domestic Violence
For help or information about domestic violence 24/7, call 1-855-225-0220 (toll-free)
Further Resources
2-1-1 is a 24/7 connection to programs and services in Nova Scotia. Call 211 or visit online.
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