|
A hurricane is barrelling towards Nova Scotia, school is in full swing, and a return to the legislature is around the corner.
First things first, Fiona. By now hopefully, most of you who are able will have made appropriate preparations for the storm, including having food, flashlights and water on hand, as well as a plan for an extended power outage. Our office will be monitoring the storm. In case of an emergency, please call 911. You can always reach us via email at claudiachendermla@gmail.com. The best advice is to stay indoors until the storm passes if at all possible. When safe, please also remember to check on folks nearby who may need extra assistance. Stay safe!
Thank you to everyone who reaches out to share their stories with me and my staff. Top of the list is the continued healthcare crisis. From waiting rooms with no chairs and 10+ hour waits, to overworked staff, to the unprecedented barriers to receiving basic care, we hear stories of your struggles every day in my office and they are informing my preparation to return to the legislature this fall. As always, we will do our best to connect you with the right resources, navigate government programs, and advocate for you wherever possible.
Nova Scotia Power Rate-Hike Hearing
I, along with my colleagues, have been intervening in the URAB hearing for the NSP rate hike. Dartmouth families and small business owners are very familiar with how unpredictable the grid is already. We have proposed several pieces of legislation which would allow for low-income energy programs and rebates; shift to performance-based regulation where NSP's profits would be tied to their performance, affordability, and transition to renewables; and strengthen our regulatory framework.
So far we have not seen a willingness to move in this direction. I am opposed to making Nova Scotians pay ever more for basic service, keeping our lights on during bad weather (iffy at the best of times), getting off of coal and greening our grid, and footing the bill for executive salaries. There are a few good articles about the hearing you can read here and here.
Fall Vaccine Rollout Begins
The fall rollout of COVID-19 vaccine doses has begun for people aged 18+. Nova Scotia has accepted the recommendation of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and will offer the Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to people aged 18 and older.
Public Health recommends that Nova Scotians 18 and older who are eligible for their fall dose receive a dose of bivalent vaccine rather than the original vaccine. It is also recommended that people receive the current Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine when eligible rather than waiting for potential COVID-19 vaccines that have yet to be approved in Canada.
Appointments can be booked online at novascotia.ca/vaccination or by calling 1-833-797-7772.
Monkeypox Protection
From Thursday, September 15 to Thursday, October 6th, Nova Scotians who are at the highest risk of being exposed to the monkeypox virus can get a vaccine to help protect against infection before they are exposed at the Halifax Sexual Health Centre. We're told that work is underway to establish more pre-exposure vaccination programs in other areas of the province.
Those who meet the eligibility criteria can book an appointment at: novascotia.flow.canimmunize.ca/en/monkeypox-booking. Anyone who needs help booking an appointment or does not have a Nova Scotia health card can call the Halifax Sexual Health Centre at 902-455-9656, ext 0.
More information about monkeypox, including how it spreads and what symptoms to look for, can be found at: novascotia.ca/monkeypox/.
Dartmouth Cove
Recently, allNovaScotia reported that the application to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to infill Dartmouth Cove was incomplete, so it doesn't look like that project will be going ahead until next year at the earliest. Meanwhile, based on the discussion at Halifax City Hall, it seems that ultimately the Provincial government will determine whether the owners of the water lot will be able to access it via land.
Unfortunately, these lands were owned by Develop Nova Scotia but with the recent dissolution of that Crown Corporation, the land is now within the purview of the newly formed Build Nova Scotia. The most recent statement from them indicates that they will wait until the Federal government's decision is made before determining access. Hopefully, further details will be made public soon.
Legislature Returns
In case you missed it, the Nova Scotia Legislature will resume on October 13th, 2022. You can watch it live or after the fact on Leg TV. As always, part of my time in the legislature is used to officially recognize groups and individuals in our community who are doing exceptional work or meeting significant milestones. These statements are read in the House and recorded in Hansard, the official record of debates and proceedings of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. If you would like me to recognize an outstanding person, organization, event, or milestone in Dartmouth South, please let me know by filling out this form!
Stay safe,
Claudia
|
