(From Globe and Mail.. Saturday, April 17, 2021)
The governments of Canada's four easternmost provinces have spent the past year enrolled in the COVID-19 gifted program. Their early, aggressive action to suppress the virus and keep it down, allowing their economies to largely reopen, puts them on a par with the world's most successful curve crushers, from Austrialia and New Zealand to Japan and South Korea.
Karen Casey quote.. "Our thanks for the leadership of former Premier Stephen McNeil and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Robert Strang. This leadership began 12 months ago, and has protected us from COVID-19, and has allowed us to become the envy of the country. Congratulations to both."
Salvation Army NSCR Fund
The Nova Scotia COVID Relief (NSCR) Fund was established by the Government of Nova Scotia from the Federal Safe Restart Agreement in April 2021. The $3.5 million fund supports low-income Nova Scotians who are struggling to pay their home heating or electric bill as a result of income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This program is administered by The Salvation Army.
The Fund provides one-time assistance to help Nova Scotians with their home heating costs or electricity bills. Each household may be eligible for up to $400 in support.
For more information CLICK HERE
For the NSCR Fund Application CLICK HERE
Our government is on track to give every person who wants a COVID-19 vaccine in Nova Scotia their first dose by the end of June. Health-care workers, staff and residents of licensed long-term care facilities will be fully vaccinated by the end of April.
We are implementing a flexible model of vaccine delivery, using community clinics, pharmacy clinics, primary care clinics, outreach clinics and mobile clinics. By May, we will be able to administer about 86,000 doses per week. Most Nova Scotians will continue to receive their vaccine when they become eligible by age and based on anticipated vaccine supply.
Outdoor Recreational Facilities
Outdoor recreational facilities like trails, playgrounds and sports fields provide opportunities for Nova Scotians of all ages to be active and to have fun in their own communities. The Liberal Government in Nova Scotia supports a healthy, active lifestyle, and continues to invest in communities across the province.
Most recently, $1.8 million has been provided to upgrade facilities in 65 communities, and many of those are in rural Nova Scotia. In fact, $250 000 of that investment comes to the Fundy Region, which includes Colchester County. These grants help community groups, Municipalities and other not-for-profit organizations develop facilities to increase public participation in sport and physical recreation. Some examples include renovations to buildings, developing and/or maintaining walking trails and building and upgrading fields for sport and recreation.
Government & Physicians
The health of all Nova Scotians is always a priority for us as individuals and for our families and friends. As a Government, we continue to support and encourage Nova Scotians to follow a healthy lifestyle and to exercise regularly. Along with healthy eating and a physical active lifestyle, we do need to have access to quality health care from our medical professionals. This means focusing on what people need to be healthy and to providing supports in the community so that care can be accessed.
With the establishment of one Nova Scotia Health Authority, physicians are advocating for better health and working as part of a team to provide the services and supports we all need and deserve. Our Government has made a commitment to work toward the goal of having access to a family doctor for every Nova Scotian. At the present time 90% of Nova Scotians do have a family doctor, however, for the remaining 10% who do not have a family doctor, it is frustrating and disappointing and makes managing our own health a challenge.
Family Doctors
The health of all Nova Scotians is always a priority for us as individuals and for our families and friends. As a Government, we continue to support and encourage Nova Scotians to follow a healthy lifestyle and to exercise regularly. Along with healthy eating and a physical active lifestyle, we do need to have access to quality health care from our medical professionals. This means focusing on what people need to be healthy and to providing supports in the community so that care can be accessed.
With the establishment of one Nova Scotia Health Authority, physicians are advocating for better health and working as part of a team to provide the services and supports we all need and deserve. Our Government has made a commitment to work toward the goal of having access to a family doctor for every Nova Scotian. At the present time 90% of Nova Scotians do have a family doctor, however, for the remaining 10% who do not have a family doctor, it is frustrating and disappointing and makes managing our own health a challenge.
Five Islands Provincial Park
It is the season when provincial parks across Nova Scotia celebrate their opening dates. As seasonal parks, most are open to the public from early June until early October. During that time families have the opportunity to enjoy outdoor activities in our parks. We also welcome hundreds of tourists who come to our province and to also enjoy what our parks have to offer.
In particular, we celebrate the opening of the Five Islands Provincial Park. The Park offers over 80 open and wooded campsites, 300’ cliffs overlooking the Minas Basin and great opportunities for hiking, beachcombing, rock collecting, clam digging and other outdoor activities. A view from many points within the Park has been described as “a million dollar view”.
Coding in NS Schools
Coding has been gaining a lot of attention over the past year. As reported in the Globe and Mail in January, Nova Scotia is leading the country in introducing coding into schools. Coding has been identified as a priority for all classrooms under Nova Scotia’s Action Plan for Education, and students in grades Primary to 3 were introduced to coding in September 2015. I was pleased to announce that as part of Budget 2016-2017, the province has invested $1 million to expand support for this initiative.
After the Bell Program
The importance of physical activity in youth 12 -15 years of age has been recognized by the Liberal Government and we are investing $282 000 in projects throughout the province. After the Bell Programs that are supported through this investment, focus on youth who are participating in hockey, swimming, rock climbing, skating, outdoor trails and other recreational sport activities.
We offer no-charge energy assessments and home upgrades to income-qualified homeowners. Know someone we can help? No Child Should Ever Go Hungry
Through Nourish NS, your Nova Scotia Liberal government is expanding the school breakfast program to provide a healthy breakfast to every single student in the province, five days a week.
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