New Brunswick enters green phase with no pandemic restrictions
At midnight Friday, New Brunswick will lift all of its pandemic-related restrictions despite not reaching its vaccination target.
It's a move that some experts have criticized as being too sudden and not based in science.
As of Friday, the province is reporting that 66.7 per cent of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated. The province's original plan for getting to "green" was to hit the 75 per cent mark.
When the clock strikes 11:59 p.m. Friday night, the Plexiglas panels at the Cask and Kettle pub in uptown Saint John are coming down -- part of the changes taking place as New Brunswick goes "green."
"Masks will be optional for our staff and for our customers," said Cask & Kettle owner Shawn Verner. "They'll be on hand if a customer requests a server to wear a mask, we'll put it back on, but for the most part we'll be unmasked here."
At the Saint John City Market, starting Saturday morning, masks will no longer be required, the directional arrows on the ground will be removed, and the main eating area will be back to its pre-pandemic capacity.
"It's going to be weird at first," said Andrew MacDonald, the manager at the Saint John City Market. "People are used to this, but it's going to be a lot more open kind of route of traffic, and people can kind of come and go as they please. All the doors will be open, it's kind of crazy, it's been a while it's been like this."
When New Brunswick lifts its mandatory order, it means an end to all pandemic-related restrictions and mixed feelings for businesses.
"There's a sense of relief because it's been a really challenging 17 months and I think a lot of them are looking forward to perhaps recapturing some of that revenue that they've lost during that period," said John Wishart of the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce.
Wishart says there's also a sense of uncertainty of not knowing how to operate in this "new world" -- a new world and a new path that hasn't been without its share of criticism.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs stands behind the decision to give the "green light" to reopening.
"Public Health reviewed all the science on this and what's going on around us and said 'we're comfortable to move,'" Higgs said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau talks border, trade in surprise dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed border security and trade during a surprise dinner with U.S.-president elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Fla. on Friday evening, according to senior government sources.
Man who died trying to help stranded motorist identified as Khalid Farooq, father of 5
The man who lost his life trying to help a stranded motorist Wednesday has been identified as Khalid Farooq.
W5 Investigates 'I never took part in beheadings': Canadian ISIS sniper has warning about future of terror group
An admitted Canadian ISIS sniper held in one of northeast Syria’s highest-security prisons has issued a stark warning about the potential resurgence of the terror group.
Are scented candles bad for you? What the science says
Concerns about the safety of candles are rooted in the chemical reactions that occur when you burn them, as well as in the artificial fragrances and colorants that contribute to the various scents you may love.
Premier League trophy in Toronto as Man City visits Liverpool in high-stakes showdown
Manchester City's Premier League title hopes could hang in the balance Sunday when the slumping club visits league-leading Liverpool.The trophy they are both battling for is 5,450 kilometres away — in Toronto.
Why this Toronto man ran so a giant stickman could dance
Colleagues would ask Duncan McCabe if he was training for a marathon, but, really, the 32-year-old accountant was committing multiple hours of his week, for 10 months, to stylistically run on the same few streets in Toronto's west end with absolutely no race in mind. It was all for the sake of creating a seconds-long animation of a dancing stickman for Strava.
It's time for a good movie this holiday season, here's what's new in theatres
This holiday season has a special edition at the theatres with movies "that everyone has been waiting for," says a movie expert from Ottawa.
Poilievre suggests Trudeau is too weak to engage with Trump, Ford won't go there
While federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has taken aim at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this week, calling him too 'weak' to engage with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Ontario Premier Doug Ford declined to echo the characterization in an exclusive Canadian broadcast interview set to air this Sunday on CTV's Question Period.
Emboldened 'manosphere' accelerates threats and demeaning language toward women after U.S. election
An emboldened “manosphere” has seized on Republican Donald Trump ’s presidential win to justify misogynistic derision and threats online.