Some pre-pandemic government services to return to normal under N.B.'s Green phase
With the province fully in the Green phase of its recovery plan, New Brunswickers will soon see changes to government services.
In Moncton, Fredericton, and Saint John, city transit riders will no longer be required to wear masks when taking public transit.
Austin Henderson, manager of strategic communications for the City of Moncton, says all three municipalities are still encouraging riders to wear a face-covering if they’re comfortable doing so.
Beginning July 31st, buses will run without capacity limits for the first time since March 2020.
"We’ve gone anywhere from nine passengers to six to 18 to 50 per cent, but now that means that we can have full seated as well as standing loads on our buses,” says Henderson.
Riders will still see some pandemic precautions during their commute. The plexiglass barriers surrounding drivers will remain in place for the foreseeable future.
"We wanted to make sure that measure stayed in place, and also it’s much easier to keep that up as opposed to taking it down than needing to reinstall last minute if ever we have to go back to a different phase of the province’s recovery plan," says Henderson.
Change are also coming to Service New Brunswick service centres across the province, effective Tuesday.
In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for the provincial organization says, "mask requirements and physical distancing measures will no longer be required in service centres across the province, but masks will still be necessary during driver’s road tests until further notice."
In Frederiction, many of the same restrictions will also be removed from all city-owned and operated facilities.
Michelle Horncastle is the city’s manager of recreation, culture, and community development.
"Masking social distancing, contact tracing and hand sanitizing will no longer be required by individuals taking part in our programs or using our recreational sports facilities," says Horncastle.
Residents won’t see any changes at facilities operating under the two regional health authorities.
In a release on Thursday, both Horizon Health and Vitalité said they will not be doing away with any of the COVID-19 precautions put in place during the pandemic.
“All visitors will continue to be screened upon entry. Masks are required for everyone in a Horizon or Vitalité facility. When you come to a Horizon hospital or health care facility for an appointment or to visit a loved one, please wear your own face mask. You will be provided a new face mask during the screening process and asked to put on this face mask before entering," says the release.
Physical distancing and frequent hand cleaning are also required.
The decision to continue with pandemic protocol is one Dr. David Kogon, who works at the Moncton City Hospital, strongly agrees with.
"The hospital is an especially high-risk location, more that means the people there are more at risk and I think it behooves a hospital to be extremely cautious and take extra precautions compared to the general out and about population," says Kogon.
Visitor restrictions will also remain in place at Horizon and Vitalité hospitals and health care facilities until further notice.
Fully vaccinated Canadian visitors from outside Maritime provinces, as well as fully vaccinated international visitors, must show proof of vaccination, provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test prior to entry, and agree to two more tests on days five and ten.
Visitors with only one dose, as well as unvaccinated visitors, may only be permitted entry 14 days after they’ve arrived in the province.
Atlantic Canadians will be permitted entry without restriction, regardless of their vaccination status.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Record-breaking N.B. lottery winner kept winning ticket on dresser for nearly a year
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.