Nova Scotia to enter Phase 3 of reopening plan, allowing travellers from outside Atlantic Canada

HALIFAX -

Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin announced Tuesday the province will move into Phase 3 of the government's five-step reopening plan, which eases numerous health orders, including on travel, restaurants and spas.

Phase 3 will include reopening the province's boundaries to travellers from the rest of Canada, beginning Wednesday.

Travellers from outside Atlantic Canada will have to complete a check-in form and will be subject to isolation requirements based on their vaccination status and test results. Those who are fully vaccinated at least 14 days before their arrival in Nova Scotia won't have to self-isolate, while people with one dose will have to quarantine for at least seven days and will need two negative test results before leaving isolation.

Travellers who haven't had a shot will have to self-isolate for 14 days and will be subject to testing at the beginning and end of that period.

"We've all been looking forward to the day when we can once again welcome all Canadians to visit our beautiful province," Rankin said in a release.

"Thanks to the hard work of Nova Scotians and our robust border and testing strategies, we're now in a position to do that. Families and friends can see each other again, businesses can operate with less restrictions and visitors can safely enjoy summer in Nova Scotia while still following public health measures."

Also starting Wednesday, people from New Brunswick will be able to enter Nova Scotia without restrictions, joining travellers from the rest of Atlantic Canada who were welcomed back to the province last Wednesday.

Nova Scotia had originally stipulated that travellers from New Brunswick would need to self-isolate upon arrival because that province had opened to the rest of Canada earlier than its Atlantic counterparts. But Rankin changed the policy following protests last week on the Trans-Canada Highway at the boundary with New Brunswick that led to a daylong blockade.

"As we start welcoming people from across the country, we are also now in a position to reopen further within Nova Scotia with larger gathering limits and higher capacity for businesses," Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health, said in a release.

"We still need physical distance and masks in many settings, and everyone should get their first and second doses of vaccine as soon as possible and continue getting tested regularly."

Under Phase 3, businesses such as hair salons, barber shops and spas will be allowed to offer walk-in service, and retail stores will be allowed to operate at 75 per cent capacity, up from 50 per cent.

Fully vaccinated long-term care residents will be allowed to welcome visitors in designated areas, and social distancing won't be required for outdoor visits. Residents who are not fully vaccinated will also be permitted to visit outdoor public spaces, such as parks.

Restaurants will get one hour more of in-person dining, until 12 a.m., and they must close by 1 a.m., although they can continue to offer takeout, delivery and drive-thru service after closing.

Indoor social gatherings will be expanded to members of a household plus an additional 10 people, who won't need to wear masks or socially distance, and outdoor gathering limits will remain at 25 people.

LIST OF RESTRICTIONS EASED JUNE 30

Gatherings

• Informal gatherings can include a household plus 10 people indoors, or 25 people total outdoors without physical distance
• Faith gatherings, formal weddings, funerals and associated receptions and visitation hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50 per cent 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 a.m.; they can have performers following the limit for arts and culture performances
• All retail stores can operate at 75 per cent 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 per cent capacity to a maximum of 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors
• Events hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent 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 per cent 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

With files from The Canadian Press.