Government of Newfoundland News

Applications for the 2025 Vegetable Transplant Program are open to commercial vegetable producers until February 24.

The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture offers high-quality, low-cost vegetable transplants to eligible commercial farmers to help increase the production and variety of produce grown in the province, promote higher marketable yields and earlier harvests, and support food self-sufficiency.

In 2024, the Vegetable Transplant Program grew 4.3 million vegetable transplants, which were provided to 129 farmers.

Available crop varieties include cabbage, rutabaga, broccoli, cauliflower, onion, kale, lettuce, leek and asparagus – all grown at the Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Development in Wooddale.

Farmers demonstrating strong compliance with prior programs will receive priority for allocations. The 2025 program guide and online application form are available on the Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture website.

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“The Provincial Government remains steadfast in its commitment to explore opportunities to promote locally grown and produced products to ensure consumers have more options to buy local goods. The Provincial Vegetable Program is a practical, home-grown solution tailored to meet Newfoundland and Labrador’s specific growing conditions and farmers’ particular needs. I encourage all commercial farmers to avail of this unique program.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

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Learn more
2025 Provincial Vegetable Transplant Program Guide and Application

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The Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, today announced the launch of the Make It Excellent in the Skilled Trades campaign to encourage youth and underemployed individuals to pursue careers in the skilled trades through apprenticeship.

With approximately 6,000 construction workers expected to retire in the next 10 years, and the potential for thousands of new jobs created through new hydroelectric projects in Labrador, there is a great future for the next generation of local skilled tradespeople.

The Make It Excellent campaign highlights the skills, dedication and rewarding opportunities that come with a career in the skilled trades. It demonstrates how choosing this path means not only mastering a craft, but also securing good pay and long-term job stability right here in Newfoundland and Labrador. The benefits of employers hiring apprentices is also featured, including generous wage subsidies and access to a talented pool of apprentices.

Apprenticeship programs are profiled in the campaign as opportunities for individuals to “earn while they learn”, gaining hands-on experience with talented mentors and journeypersons. Testimonials feature local apprentices and journeypersons from a variety of backgrounds, working as automotive service technicians, heavy duty equipment technicians, carpenters, welders, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanics, plumbers and electricians.

Another element is supports available for unemployed and underemployed individuals to complete pre-employment training programs of up to three years, which covers the length of most skilled trades programs. Newfoundland and Labrador offers some of Canada’s most generous skills development benefits, including covering tuition, books, living costs and child care expenses.

For more information about the campaign and to learn about opportunities in the skilled trades, visit MakeItExcellent.ca.

In addition to the Make it Excellent campaign, the Provincial Government has undertaken a number of actions to support skilled trades workforce development and training. These actions are outlined in the backgrounder.

Quotes
“The Make It Excellent campaign is an exciting opportunity to showcase the incredible potential of skilled trades careers in Newfoundland and Labrador. With a growing demand for skilled workers in our province, we are committed to providing the next generation with the tools, training, and support they need to succeed. It’s a great time to pursue a career in the trades, and we’re proud to offer opportunities for youth and underemployed individuals to learn, grow, and succeed right here at home.”
Honourable Sarah Stoodley
Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills

“This campaign will help capture the attention of youth in Mount Pearl, and across the province, and get them thinking about how rewarding a career in the skilled trades can be. Tradespeople do excellent work and have the opportunity to build a great life in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Lucy Stoyles
Member of the House of Assembly for Mount Pearl North

“As a proud employer and advocate for apprentices and skilled trades in the automotive sector, we are committed to fostering an environment where skilled trade professionals can thrive. By investing in their training and development, we are not only strengthening our industry but also empowering the next generation of skilled workers. Together, we are driving innovation and excellence forward in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Stefan Pike
Executive General Manager, Steele Honda

“Apprenticing as a welder through the Youth Summer Apprenticeship Program has opened so many doors for me. I’ve gained real hands-on experience, learned from skilled mentors, and discovered a career that I’m passionate about. It’s exciting to know that I’m building a future in a trade that’s in high demand in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Taylor Whiffen
Welding Apprentice, Youth Apprenticeship Summer Program

“The Office to Advance Women Apprentices has proudly supported tradeswomen in Newfoundland and Labrador for over 15 years. During this time, much progress has been made toward gender equality in skilled trades. We have slowly changed the narrative that skilled trades aren’t an appropriate career path for women and girls. Despite this progress, female enrollment in apprentice programs remains extremely low. As this province faces critical skilled labor shortages it is more important than ever to encourage young women and girls to pursue rewarding and successful careers as tradeswomen.”
Lori LeDrew
Executive Director, Office to Advance Women Apprentices

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BACKGROUNDER

Actions to Support Skilled Trades Workforce Development and Training

• Undertaking a review of the provincial apprenticeship system and finalizing an implementation plan for recommendations.
• Hiring a virtual learning strategist to provide customized support services for apprentices preparing to challenge the certification exam.
• Launching the Working Opportunities program, a game-changer for individuals facing barriers to education and training.
• Maintaining the harmonization of 23 skilled trades with other Atlantic provinces.
• Increasing direct outreach and engagement with high school students and underemployed to promote careers in the skilled trades and careers services available through Provincial Government employment centres.
• Continuing to fund the Trades NL Indigenous Skilled Trades Office, with locations in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Corner Brook, and St. John’s.
• Continuing to fund the Youth Apprenticeship Summer Program through Skills Canada Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Ongoing support for women apprentices through the Office to Advance Women Apprentices.
• Providing supports for newcomers in the skilled trades to obtain credentials and employment through the Fair Registration Practices Office.
• Increasing awareness of skilled trades by expanding outreach with industry.
• Increasing collaboration with industry and other labour market partners to determine future workforce requirements and awareness of job possibilities in the skilled trades.

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The deadline for students to apply for the 2025 Adventure Program in Quebec has been extended to Tuesday, February 18, 2025

The Adventure Program offers a four-week summer bursary to Level 1/Grade 10 students meeting the eligibility requirements with a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a French-speaking environment in Quebec. The program provides beginner and advanced French language classes, along with engaging cultural activities and excursions conducted entirely in French.

Bursaries are paid directly to the post-secondary institution hosting the program, Collège Saint-Charles-Garnier (Laval Campus), Quebec City, and cover the cost of tuition, room and board, instructional materials, and all compulsory activities.

The application and eligibility requirements can be found on the Department of Education website. Please contact adventure@gov.nl.ca for questions or assistance with the application.

This program is made possible through funding received through the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Agreement on Minority Language Education and Second Official Language Instruction.

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Today, the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, announced a $12-million investment in the province’s Climate Change Challenge Fund.

The Climate Change Challenge Fund is a competitive, application-based grant program open to the private sector, not-for profit organizations, public sector bodies or boards, municipal governments, and Indigenous organizations to undertake greenhouse gas emission reduction projects in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Projects must cost effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fall under one or more of the following target areas:

• Energy efficiency that results in reduced fossil fuel use.
• Fuel switching to reduce emissions.
• Process changes in the industrial sector.
• Adoption of new technologies that displace or eliminate on-site greenhouse gas emissions.
• Carbon sequestration in agriculture and forestry sectors.

The deadline for applications is Friday, April 11, 2025, and projects must be completed no later than December 31, 2028, to be eligible. Complete eligibility and application guidelines are available here. For questions about the program, please call 709-729-1394 or email eccinfo@gov.nl.ca

The Climate Change Challenge Fund aims to improve energy efficiency, create economic growth, and effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Quotes
“Supporting businesses, communities, and not-for-profit organizations under the Climate Change Challenge Fund will drive our economy and bring us closer to reaching our climate change mitigation goals in Newfoundland and Labrador. I encourage all eligible groups to submit their project proposals for consideration and look forward to seeing those projects generate real results in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Minister of Labrador Affairs
Minister Responsible for Labour

“Thanks to the Climate Change Challenge Fund, we were given the ability to make crucial upgrades to our heating systems going from fossil fuels to zero-emissions, drastically reducing our corporate greenhouse gas emissions.”
Her Worship Carol McDonald
Mayor of Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s

“Taking advantage of the Climate Change Challenge Fund made a huge difference for us in 2023. We were able to transition to a more environmentally friendly boiler and are excited about more programs like this to come. I would definitely encourage other businesses to apply.”
Justin Fong
Sales and Marketing Director
Quidi Vidi Brewery

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The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, will make an announcement tomorrow (Wednesday, February 12, 2025) regarding the 2025 Climate Change Challenge Fund.

The event will take place at the Portugal Cove – St. Phillip’s Town Hall, at 11:00 a.m.

Minister Dempster will be joined by the Honourable Fred Hutton, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and MHA for Conception Bay East – Bell Island, Mayor Carol McDonald, Town of Portugal Cove St. Philip’s and Justin Fong, Quidi Vidi Brewery.

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The Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today named Karen Stone, KC, as the new deputy minister of Justice and Public Safety and deputy attorney general of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ms. Stone replaces Denis Mahoney, KC, who, while retiring from the public service, will continue to be a part of the negotiating team created to draft the definitive agreements outlined in the memorandum of understanding between Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and Hydro-Quebec.

Since June 2024, Ms. Stone was the interim chief executive officer of NL Health Services where she led the implementation of recommendations from Health Accord NL from a provincial health authority perspective and helped improve access to care.

During her long history in the public service she served in many senior leadership positions, including deputy minister of Health and Community Services where she helped the province navigate the global pandemic. She was also the deputy minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation when the province invited Newfoundlanders and Labradorians living abroad to return home during the successful Come Home Year celebrations, and the deputy minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills when the province experienced the largest growth in its population since 1998. Her bio is noted below in the enclosed biography.

Over the course of Mr. Mahoney’s successful career in the private and public sectors, he made many meaningful contributions to Newfoundland and Labrador. Most recently, he provided strong leadership through the 2024 Labrador forest fires and the subsequent safe evacuations of residents, as well as playing a critical role in improving the safety of the province’s communities and helping negotiate an MOU with Hydro Quebec that will invite considerable benefits for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.  He also has a long history of community volunteerism through his involvement with such organizations as Memorial University’s Board of Regents, the 2025 Canada Games Host Society, and the Boys and Girls Club.

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“We are fortunate in Newfoundland and Labrador to have a highly talented public service and public service employees who make incredible contributions to our communities. I am very much looking forward to working with Ms. Stone and Mr. Mahoney in their new roles and would like to sincerely thank them for their work over the years. We are a stronger province because of your efforts.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

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Biography

Karen Stone, KC, completed her articles of law and was admitted to the bar in 1992. She began her public service career as a solicitor at the Department of Justice in 1995. She provided legal advice to numerous government departments before joining the Department of Health and Community Services in 2005 as its legislative consultant. She most recently served as the interim chief executive officer of NL Health Services.

Prior to that role, she was the deputy minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills. She has also served as the deputy minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation and the deputy minister of Health and Community Services. She has held the positions of assistant secretary to cabinet (social policy) with the Office of the Executive Council, assistant deputy minister of policy and planning, and assistant deputy minister of population health at the Department of Health and Community Services.

Ms. Stone’s law degree is from Osgoode Hall Law School and she has a Bachelor of Arts and a Certificate in Public Administration from Memorial University. She holds a Certificate in Alternate Dispute Resolution from the University of Windsor.

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The Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills, will announce a new campaign to support apprenticeships in the skilled trades on Wednesday, February 12, at Steele Honda, 547 Kenmount Road, St. John’s.

The event will begin at 1:30 p.m.

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This year’s Atlantic Canada Craft Awards for Excellence recognized several Newfoundland and Labrador entrepreneurs with prestigious awards. The 28th annual awards were presented at an event in Halifax, Nova Scotia, during Craft East Buyers’ Expo on February 8, 2025.

An Inuk artist from Rigolet on Labrador’s North Coast, April Allen, was awarded the Industry Leader Award. Through her company, Stitched by April, she brings together traditional materials such as sealskin, leather, and fur, and blends them with modern design elements to reflect the strength and resilience of Inuit culture.

Ms. Allen’s designs have been shown at major runway fashion shows in New York, Paris and Milan, as well as at Indigenous art festivals and cultural events across Canada. Her Inuit doll collection was permanently added to the Provincial Art Bank at The Rooms. She strives to inspire young Indigenous artists to use their own backgrounds and experiences in their creations and uses her platform for advocacy for meaningful causes.

East Coast Quilt co received the award for Outstanding Retailer. Entrepreneurs and lovers of cloth, Debbie Northover and Read Bowen, came together in 2019 to offer services to the local quilt community.

The business has grown into a thriving destination for makers of craft, offering fabrics, classes, tools and services as well as finished products. They work and collaborate with local designers and makers to provide quality products and services that showcase the province. Their space in downtown St. John’s offers opportunities for workshops for all ages and have provided new revenue streams for working makers, providing customers with a new way to support locally made products.

Newbornlander Baby Store Inc. received the award for Outstanding Exporter. Constanza Safatle, originally from Chile, is founder and owner of Newbornlander, a social enterprise that offers baby accessories with a mission to create opportunities and support newcomer women.

Starting in 2017, Ms. Safatle designed and made all Newbornlander products herself, while caring for her own newborn. She sold her work at local markets and has since expanded to Atlantic Canda and beyond. Through a variety of channels, such as an online store, direct retail and wholesale, Newbornlander has seven employees, and the product line is wholesaled across Canada. Through strategic developments, such as trade shows and appearing on the national television show Dragons’ Den, Ms. Safatle was also the 2023 winner of Tales of Triumph, a prestigious national award with Canada Post, which led to an increase in export sales.

Recognizing the importance of celebrating the artistic and economic achievements of the craft community, the Craft Council of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Awards Committee meets throughout the year to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador craft makers, fine craft artists and craft retailers are recognized for their exceptional work.

The Atlantic Canada Craft Awards for Excellence are presented annually in conjunction with the Craft East Buyers’ Expo, which showcases craft and giftware made exclusively in the Atlantic Provinces.

Quotes
“Newfoundland and Labrador continues to be a leader in traditional and contemporary crafts. Congratulations to April Allen, East Coast Quilt co and Newbornlander for their recognition at this year’s Atlantic Canada Craft Awards for Excellence. We recognize the value of the craftspeople from this province and we are happy to continue to support their creative initiatives as they grow their businesses and have a positive impact on the local economy.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC
Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology

“Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s Atlantic Canada Craft Awards for Excellence, with a special shout-out to Newfoundland and Labrador’s own, Stitched by April, East Coast Quilt co and Newbornlander. Our province is filled with incredibly creative artisans whose work enriches the vibrancy and heritage of our communities. These talented craftspeople continue to inspire and showcase the rich cultural fabric of our province.”
Honourable Steve Crocker
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation

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Learn More
Newfoundland and Labrador Craft Industry Strategy 2023-2025

April Allen – Stitched By April

East Coast Quilt co

Newbornlander

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The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation is advising athletes throughout Newfoundland and Labrador that provincial sport organizations are now accepting applications for the 2025 Athletic Excellence Fund.

The Athletic Excellence Fund supports local athletes by providing financial assistance to help offset costs associated with training and competition. Funding is provided to athletes through five channels – the Premier’s Athletic Awards, the Team Gushue Awards, the Michelle Healey Memorial Award, the Elite Athlete Assistance Program, and the Sport NL Scholarship Program.

In order to apply, applicants must be members in good standing of a Provincial Sport Organization. Individuals must submit their applications to their respective Provincial Sport Organization by March 3, 2025. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. The application form and guidelines for applicants are available here.

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For the first time ever, all 13 of Canada’s Premiers will visit Washington, D.C. as part of a joint mission aimed at strengthening Canada-United States relations. Doug Ford, Chair of the Council of the Federation, will lead the group as they undertake a series of meetings and events in the United States capital.

Preliminary Media Program (All times and events to be confirmed)

Wednesday, February 12               7:00 a.m.

 

 

 

8:15 a.m. Photo opportunity
Media will be escorted from the State Room, Lobby Level, The Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.Scrum and photo opportunity as Premiers depart hotel for meetingsState Room, Lobby Level, The Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

  11:45 a.m. Scrum and photo opportunity as Premiers depart for a luncheon meeting

Outside the main entrance of 101 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.

 

As they become available, additional program details and media opportunities will be communicated to interested media via email. To be added to the media email list, please email paola@canadaspremiers.ca.

The Council of the Federation comprises all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. It enables Premiers to work collaboratively, form closer ties, foster constructive relationships among governments, and show leadership on important issues that matter to Canadians.

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Today and every day, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are encouraged to raise their forks to the farmers and producers who support food self-sufficiency across the country, and especially here at home.

Canada’s Agriculture Day is a celebration of Canadian agriculture and food, and in Newfoundland and Labrador, there is much to celebrate. The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, is working with farmers and producers to explore opportunities to promote locally grown and produced products to ensure consumers have more options to buy local goods. The Provincial Government’s BuyNLCan campaign is also encouraging citizens to choose products and services from Newfoundland and Labrador first, keeping money and jobs here at home.

The province’s agriculture sector is 100 per cent self-sufficient in production of fluid milk, chicken and eggs, and self-sufficiency in beef and sheep production is increasing.

The Provincial Government continues to grow food self-sufficiency in Newfoundland and Labrador by:

• Working closely with the dairy, poultry and egg sectors to continue increasing the amount of locally produced products.
• Working with farmers to develop and enhance farmland for fruit and vegetable production. Farmers are producing traditional crops including potato, cabbage, turnip, carrot and strawberries, as well as diversified products such as broccoli, kale, leek, onion, asparagus, canola, wheat and cranberry.
• Encouraging farmers to avail of financial support from a suite of funding programs – including subsidized crop insurance – to help protect their valuable crops and improve their businesses. The option to insure crops helps diversify and strengthen Newfoundland and Labrador’s agriculture sector and better protect our farmers.
• Offering programs that increase food self-sufficiency in Newfoundland and Labrador, including the Provincial Vegetable Transplant Program at the Centre for Agriculture and Forestry Development in Wooddale. Vegetable transplants give farmers a head-start on the province’s short growing season by providing high-quality vegetable transplants – more than four million annually – to promote higher marketable yields, more crop variety, and earlier harvest and returns.
• Collaborating with academic institutions and other agencies to research innovative crop and livestock production practices that help improve local food self-sufficiency.
• Providing a fresh new crop of agriculture technology students with hands-on experience in agricultural practices at the Western Agriculture Research Station in Pynn’s Brook.
• Continuing to support food self-sufficiency through the annual Community Garden Support Program, with thousands of people from municipalities, schools and community groups working together to establish and grow their own community gardens throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Minister Byrne will mark Canada’s Agriculture Day today by co-hosting a reception with the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture. Minister Byrne’s Parliamentary Secretary, Lucy Stoyles, MHA for Mount Pearl North, will visit St. Bernard’s Elementary School in Witless Bay on February 13 to join in a celebration hosted by Agriculture in the Classroom Newfoundland and Labrador.

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“Farmers, producers and industry professionals are key to the Provincial Government’s commitment to a strong local agriculture sector. Together, we are increasing access to good food and supporting the well-being of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. This year more than ever, Canada’s Agriculture Day is a testament to the resilience and future of our agriculture sector and the people who keep it strong.
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

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The written tests for commercial classes of driver’s licence (Class 1,2,3,4) and for an air brake endorsement are now available online at MyGovNL.

A commercial driver’s licence is required to operate the commercial classes of vehicles outlined below:

• Class 1 – Semi-trailer trucks.
• Class 2 – Buses over 24 passengers.
• Class 3 – Trucks with three or more axles.
• Class 4 – Taxis, ride-sharing vehicles, and/or ambulances, and buses up to 24 passengers.

To take a commercial driver’s test, a driver must have a valid Class 5 licence for at least one year, not including time spent as a novice driver (5ii) or learner (5i). An air brake endorsement is also required to drive vehicles equipped with air brakes.

To receive a learner’s permit, applicants must also submit a routine medical form completed by a healthcare provider and take a vision test.

After successfully completing these requirements, drivers will receive an updated licence in the mail which will allow them to receive instruction from an accompanying driver who is licensed for the relevant commercial class of licence.

Entry level training from an approved post-secondary institution is required before receiving a Class 1 commercial licence and road tests are required to move from the learners stage for all classes of licence.

Additional information on how to become a commercial vehicle driver in Newfoundland and Labrador can be found here.

This addition to MyGovNL demonstrates the Provincial Government’s ongoing commitment to regulatory modernization and a digital-by-design approach.

The Provincial Government committed to increasing the number of services offered online by 75 per cent by 2022. Having exceeded this target, work continues to progressively digitize service delivery with dozens of licensing and permitting functions now available online.

MyGovNL allows residents to access and manage multiple Provincial Government services from the convenience of their own home 24/7, 365 days a year. Anyone can create a free account using a valid email address and creating a personal, secure password.

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Participants in some of the most inclusive and far-reaching fisheries, forestry and agriculture roundtables are showing unprecedented unity and resolve as they collectively prepare a plan of action for potential U.S. tariffs and establish a long-term vision for growth and development. The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, hosted a series of roundtables with the province’s three renewable resource sectors.

The launch of the fisheries roundtables saw what may be the largest and most diverse assembly in Newfoundland and Labrador’s fisheries history. Minister Byrne was joined by the Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister Responsible for Labour. The sector demonstrated unity and a desire to work cooperatively. Specific actions will be taken immediately, including key discussions with the federal government around an early start to the snow crab season and financial supports and flexibilities for the sector. Minister Byrne is making nearly $6 million of provincial funding available to support market diversification initiatives.

Minister Byrne met with forest sector representatives from the province’s sawmill and paper industries, for a wide-ranging discussion. The group reflected on how the Provincial Government could work with the forest sector to reduce costs in the face of tariffs, and to help diversify markets, with expansion into Europe being a possible option. Expanding the local domestic market for Newfoundland and Labrador’s forest products and utilizing more lumber production at home are also key factors.

Minister Byrne hosted an enthusiastic discussion about the province’s agriculture sector with representatives from the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture; fruit and vegetable, dairy, egg, chicken, sheep, honey and cranberry producer associations; and young farmers. While most food produced in Newfoundland and Labrador is consumed locally, there is great potential for growth and expansion of local products in the province’s grocery stores and restaurants.

Minister Byrne and agriculture sector representatives plan to explore opportunities to promote locally grown and produced products to ensure consumers have more options to buy local goods.

Minister Byrne and representatives from all three sectors have committed to continue working collaboratively to ensure these vital industries are well prepared to adapt to the uncertain and changing environment ahead and are actively looking to diversity markets for these products. The Provincial Government has also launched BuyFromNL, an awareness campaign encouraging citizens to choose products and services from Newfoundland and Labrador first, keeping money and jobs here at home.

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Quote
“The people who work in our renewable resource sectors – fisheries, forestry and agriculture – are facing a challenge of historic proportion. They face this challenge head on, with great courage, and a collective resolve to overcome. I am heartened to know that we are not working to maintain the status quo – we are working to grow. That distinction is our strength, and I am confident our industries will emerge reinvigorated and strengthened for the future.”
Honourable Gerry Byrne
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture

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The Provincial Government is recognizing February 9-15 as Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week was created by the Canadian Home and School Federation in 1988. It recognizes the work of teachers, administrators and school staff who are committed to supporting the educational experience of children and youth.

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to approximately 10,900 permanent and casual school staff working as teachers, administrators and support staff throughout the province’s school system. The Provincial Government recognizes the important role of teachers and support staff in supporting and enhancing the school environment.

This year, the position of student services teaching and learning assistant was introduced in select schools throughout the province. In addition, the Department of Education added 160 student assistants and close to 50 instructional resource teachers to the K-12 system this year to support students at school.

Educators were celebrated for their accomplishments through the annual Premier’s Award for Innovation in Teaching and the Minister’s Award for Compassion in Teaching in 2024. The awards acknowledge the leadership role that educators play in the lives of students. Applications for the 2025 premier’s and minister’s teaching awards will open in the coming months.

Quotes
“We recognize and applaud the hard work and dedication of our teachers and support staff who enrich the lives of our students every day in our schools. I extend my gratitude as you ensure our students benefit from your creativity, compassion and dedication. Thank you for all your work to inspire a lifelong love of learning whether it is in the classroom, playing a sport in the gymnasium, learning a new instrument in the music room, or doing research in the library learning commons. I encourage everyone to take a moment this week and recognize their hard work and dedication.”
Honourable Krista Lynn Howell
Minister of Education

“National Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week is a great opportunity to recognize the influence our teachers and school staff have on the lives of our children. We are extremely fortunate to have so many professional and caring teachers and staff in our education system who go above and beyond their roles to nurture and help our youth reach their full potential as students and citizens. Their dedication and hard work is vital to ensuring our students have the skills necessary to one day be leaders in our communities and province. On behalf of parents and school councils thank you for bringing out the very best in our children.”
Don Coombs
President, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of School Councils

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Learn more
Premier Furey and Minister Howell Announce Recipients of 2024 Teaching Awards

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The Honourable Pam Parsons, Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality, today provided a Newfoundland and Labrador update as the Provincial Government reaches the halfway point of its four-year agreement with the Government of Canada on the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence.

This agreement has enabled the province to fund critical initiatives that are:

• Building community support networks, especially at the regional and or municipal levels.
• Supporting survivors, their families, and their communities by increasing awareness, education, and training.
• Investing in leadership development for women and gender-diverse people.
• Engaging men and boys in gender-based violence prevention.
• Building capacity to address the sexual exploitation of youth.
• Providing supports to promote the healing and mental well-being of those impacted by gender-based violence.
• Providing the development of legal information materials for violence survivors that are being translated to include both dialects of Innu-Aimun, Inuktitut, Arabic, Dari, and Ukrainian.
• Fostering collaboration with Indigenous communities and heightening public awareness about the imperative for reconciliation.

By March 31, 2025, over $6 million will have been distributed to community and Indigenous partners throughout the province to expand wrap-around supports and counselling services, encourage primary prevention approaches, and strengthen coordination and social infrastructure, ensuring that impacted individuals and communities have the support they need for their well-being and to foster impactful change. Organizations receiving funding are listed in the backgrounder below.

Gender-based violence can take many forms, including physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and financial abuse, as well as technology-facilitated violence.

In December 2023, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced a bilateral agreement with the Federal Government that is seeing an investment of nearly $13.6 million over four years to support provincially tailored, violence prevention initiatives.

Quotes
“Funding for the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is a crucial investment in the safety and well-being of communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. Everyone, regardless of gender, must live free of violence. As we look ahead, we are dedicated to continuing this vital work and building on the momentum we have gained to drive even greater progress in the years to come.”
Honourable Pam Parsons
Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality

“Thanks to funding from the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence, Thrive has been able to build our provincial capacity to address the sexual exploitation of youth. We know sexual exploitation disproportionately impacts females and gender diverse folks. Youth, parents, and service providers now have access to a variety of tools and resources to combat this crime and reduce victimization. We are pleased to work with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in our pursuit of ending gender-based violence.”
Angela Crockwell
Executive Director, Thrive

“The Harbour Strong Men’s Mental Health Network is a critical step in reducing the incidence and impact of gender-based violence in our communities. Men’s mental health initiatives challenge traditional gender norms and provide men and boys safe spaces to seek emotional support and express their vulnerability. Funding from the National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence is helping Harbour Strong support the development of healthy relationships, and dynamic conversations about men’s mental health, while addressing some of the root causes of gender-based violence.”
Bill Jeffery
Project Coordinator, Harbour Strong Men’s Mental Health Network

“The Federal Government has a crucial role in ensuring that provinces have the necessary resources to address the ongoing crisis of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples. Without sustained funding, the commitments made in the National Inquiry into the MMIWG2S Calls for Justice remain just words. True reconciliation requires action, and that means investing in culturally safe, community-driven solutions that protect and uplift our people.”
Odelle Pike
Co-chair, Provincial Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council

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Office of Women and Gender Equality

National Action Plan to End Gender-based Violence

2023-2023 Annual Progress report on the National Action Pan to End Gender-Based Violence

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BACKGROUNDER

Organization Name GBV-NAP Amount Awarded in 2023-24 Benoit’s Cove Indian Band Inc $12,530 Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland $40,000 Burin Peninsula Voices Against Violence $45,000 Communities Against Violence $45,000 Conne River Health and Social Services $20,300 Corner Brook Status of Women Council $105,000 Department of Education $20,000 First Light St. John’s Friendship Centre $45,000 Gander Status of Women Council $60,000 Gateway Status of Women Council $60,000 John Howard Society NL $52,172.65 Labrador West Status of Women Council $60,000 Lifewise Mental Health Peer Services $37,400 Maiwpukek First Nation $101,317.83 Mokami Status of Women Council $60,000 Multicultural Women’s Organization NL $85,000 Mushuau Innu First Nation $101,317.83 Northern Peninsula Status of Women Council $60,000 Nunatsiavut Government $101,317.83 NunatuKavut Community Council $101,317.83 Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (c/o St. John’s Status of Women) $75,000 Planned Parenthood $30,000 Provincial Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council (c/o Newfoundland Aboriginal Women’s Network) $100,000 Public Legal Information Association of NL $251,277.75 Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation $101,317.83 Quadrangle NL $200,000 Seniors NL $16,125 Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation $101,317.83 Status of Women Central $60,000 St. John’s Status of Women Council $168,000 Thrive $141,000 Violence Prevention Avalon East $45,000 Violence Prevention Labrador $45,000 Violence Prevention South and Central $45,000 Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency $5,778 Total $2,597,490

 

Organization Name GBV-NAP Amount Awarded in 2024-25 Assembly of First Nations (NL) $20,300 Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Eastern Newfoundland $38,400 Burin Peninsula Voices Against Violence $75,000 Canadian Mental Health Association NL $48,530 Communities Against Violence $75,000 Corner Brook Status of Women Council $155,000 Daybreak Parent Child Centre $50,000 Department of Education $200,000 Empower NL $48,328 Fédération des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador $22,409 First Light St. John’s Friendship Centre $124,775 Gander Status of Women Council $80,000 Gateway Status of Women Council $80,000 John Howard Society NL $45,000 Department of Justice and Public Safety $100,000 Labrador West Status of Women Council $80,000 Lifewise Mental Health Peer Services $65,000 Mokami Status of Women Council $80,000 Multicultural Women’s Organization NL $85,000 Mushuau Innu First Nation $17,500 Newfoundland Indigenous Peoples Alliance $50,000 Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency $4,466 Planned Parenthood $60,000 Provincial Action Network on the Status of Women (c/o St. John’s Status of Women) $100,000 Provincial Indigenous Women’s Reconciliation Council (c/o Newfoundland Aboriginal Women’s Network) $150,000 Public Legal Information Association of NL $200,000 Quadrangle NL $230,000 Sandwich Bay 50+ Club $3,853 Seniors NL $100,000 Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation $22,750 Status of Women Central $80,000 Stella’s Circle $50,000 St. John’s Status of Women Council $180,000 Thrive $43,470 Violence Prevention Avalon East $25,550 Violence Prevention East $16,250 Violence Prevention South and Central $75,000 YWCA St. John’s $50,000 *Funding to other organizations not yet announced *$600,000 Total $3,531,581

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Atlantic Canada’s Premiers will travel to Washington, D.C., next week to highlight the significant value of our important trade relationship in meetings with U.S. political and business leaders.

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt hosted a virtual meeting of the Council of Atlantic Premiers yesterday to discuss the upcoming mission and ways they can continue to work together to strengthen the region’s economy and mitigate the threat of an uncertain trade climate with the United States. She was joined by Premier Dennis King of Prince Edward Island and Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia.

Atlantic Premiers will be part of the Council of the Federation mission to Washington, D.C. on February 12, 2025. All 13 provincial and territorial leaders will be in the U.S. capital to directly demonstrate to American leaders the benefits of a stable North American economic partnership.

Premiers will emphasize the importance of Canada to the security of the United States, and the benefits that the continental economic partnership has brought to both countries. They will stress Atlantic Canada’s deep historical ties with New England and the northeastern U.S. states and the significant integration of their economies.

As the threat of U.S. tariffs is paused, but not removed, Premiers discussed ways they can collaborate to bolster the resilience of Atlantic Canada’s economy. Premiers will continue to urge Atlantic Canadians to support Canadian businesses and buy Canadian-made products whenever possible. They also pledged to continue working together to make Atlantic Canada a leader in the removal of barriers and irritants to trade and labour mobility within the Atlantic region and across Canada.

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As part of continued collaboration to address the root causes of homelessness, today the Federal and Provincial Governments announced an agreement that will see an additional $2 million invested in measures to address unsheltered homelessness in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The agreement, part of the Federal Government’s Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative (UHEI), prioritizes initiatives that directly support people living without homes, tailored to the specific realities of St. John’s. New investments through this agreement include:

• The construction of 13 new provincially owned micro-homes in St. John’s. Through this pilot project, the new homes will be constructed on NL Housing land, either through traditional construction or modular builds, and will support individuals who are experiencing homelessness or who are unsheltered.
• Funding to support the operations of End Homelessness St. John’s, including its Housing Outreach Team and its Supported Referrals Program, which help individuals remain housed and support those who find themselves homeless.

The agreement recognizes the Provincial Government’s significant investments in emergency shelter and transitional housing, anticipated to be over $30 million during each year of the agreement (2024-25 to 2025-26). These investments far surpass the requirement for cost-matching under the agreement.

The continued operations of the staffed emergency shelter system and Horizons at 106 in St. John’s are part of the Community Encampment Response Plan stipulated through the joint agreement. The Provincial Government is also supporting Mercy House, the recently completed transitional and supportive living space at the Gathering Place in St. John’s.

The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, joined the Honourable Joanne Thompson, federal Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, and Doug Pawson, executive director of End Homelessness, St. John’s to make the announcement.

In late 2023, Premier Furey appointed a St. John’s acute homelessness task force including Minister Abbott, the mayor of the City of St. John’s and community partners to address issues that caused individuals to sleep rough in the capital city. The work of this committee informed the creation of Horizons at 106, new policy directions around homelessness, and has fostered greater collaboration amongst partners in addressing issues as they arise.

Housing provides stability and security and serves as the foundation for overall well-being. Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to live, and this initiative supports the Federal Government’s progressive realization of the right to adequate housing.

The $2 million in federal funding through the agreement is in addition to what the Federal Government is investing through the regionally delivered streams of Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy, a total of approximately $61 million from 2019-2028 in Newfoundland and Labrador. More agreements with provinces and territories are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Quotes
“As we have worked to address housing and homelessness challenges in our province, it has been clear at every turn that there is no one action or investment that can overcome these issues. This agreement is the latest in a series of efforts our government has taken, along with our federal and community partners, to help people break the cycle of homelessness. From expansion of staffed shelter beds, transitional and supportive housing to the creation of affordable housing, we are creating lasting housing solutions.”
Honourable John G. Abbott
Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions

“Our government is determined to build a Canada where homelessness is no longer an issue. Together, we can support all parts of the housing spectrum so that every person has a safe, affordable place to call home. As public spaces increasingly become places of refuge, it is a reminder that we must act. Through thoughtful investments and partnerships, we can strengthen support services and take meaningful steps toward ending chronic homelessness.”
Honourable Joanne Thompson
Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for St. John’s East

“This investment represents a critical step in addressing unsheltered homelessness in St. John’s. The addition of micro-homes, along with enhanced support for our Housing Outreach Team and Supported Referrals Program, will help individuals not only find housing but also maintain it with the necessary supports. Collaboration across all levels of government and within the community is essential to achieving lasting change. We remain committed to ensuring every person in our city has access to safe, affordable housing and the resources they need to thrive.”
Doug Pawson
Executive Director, End Homelessness St. John’s

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Learn more
Premier Furey and Minister Abbott Congratulate The Gathering Place on Completed Construction of New Supported Housing

Provincial Government to Partner with End Homelessness St. John’s to Operate the Transitional Supportive Living Initiative

 

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The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, will join the Honourable Joanne Thompson, federal Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, to announce details of a joint agreement under the federal Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative tomorrow (Friday, February 7).

The event will take place at the Buckmaster’s Circle Community Centre, 129 Buckmaster’s Circle, St. John’s, at 10:00 a.m.

The ministers will be joined by Doug Pawson, executive director of End Homelessness St. John’s, for the announcement.

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The Provincial Government has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking proponents to complete a review of standards of care and funding models at community care homes in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Community care homes provide residential care and support for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness who require live-in support to live as independently as possible in the community.

Submissions will include a jurisdictional scan and analysis of best practices in therapeutic living arrangements for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness and/or substance use disorders.

Submissions will also include recommendations on:

• Best practices for addressing physical and mental health needs within supportive living arrangements, social enterprise opportunities, work therapy programs, health care and case management services, and access to recreational activities.
• Staff education requirements, staff engagement and work-life balance, and opportunities to improve recruitment and retention practices.
• Funding models used for similar programming across Canada and internationally.
• Other topics such as non-medical transportation, work therapy, recreational programming, and support staff ratios.

The successful proponent will meet with key stakeholders throughout the province, including community care homes operators, residents and families, staff at community care homes and NL Health Services, community advocacy groups, and experts in community care homes services.

There are currently nine privately-owned and operated community care homes in the province that provide residential accommodation, supervision, and care to more than 130 individuals with complex mental illness.

A review of long-term care homes, which provide care and accommodation to seniors and adults with complex care, and personal care homes, which provide care and accommodations to seniors and other adults who require assistance with activities of daily living, was released earlier this week.

Information on tenders and requests for proposals issued and awarded by the department and other public bodies is available by visiting http://www.merx.com/govnl.

Quotes
“We remain focused on providing a high level of support for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness so that they can continue to live in their homes and neighbourhoods as independently as possible. By reviewing our community care home supports, we will ensure that we can provide an exceptional level of care, recruit and retain staff, and improve the well-being of individuals and staff.”
Honourable John G. Abbott
Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions

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The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure has issued a tender for the construction of the new K-12 school in the Town of Cartwright in Labrador. The new school will replace the existing Henry Gordon Academy, which opened in 1969.

The tender for the construction of the new school involves a single contract with three phases:

• • Construction of a new K-12 school with housing for teachers, community library, pre-kindergarten space and gym.
  • Abatement and demolition of the existing school.
  • Development of a new parking lot and play/sports field in the area of the old school.

Budget 2024 includes $41 million in 2024-25, and $146 million over the next three years, for new schools in Cartwright, Kenmount Terrace, Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, the extension and re-development of Dorset Collegiate on Pilley’s Island, as well as $50,000 to begin planning for a new school in Paradise.

Information on tenders issued and awarded by the department and other public bodies is available by visiting www.merx.com/govnl.

Quotes
“The issuing of the tender for construction of the new school in Cartwright means that our government is one step closer to completing this project. Modernizing this school infrastructure, which includes building a new community library, ensures positive learning outcomes for students and offers a new space for library enthusiasts in the town.”
Honourable Fred Hutton
Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
Minister of Rural Economic Development

“I’m excited to continue working with my colleague in Transportation and Infrastructure as we bring this new school closer to completion. The people of Cartwright have waited a long time and, with this call for tenders, we are nearly there. We all look forward to seeing a new safe, state-of-the-art environment for children to learn, play and grow. This school represents a tremendous investment by our government that will serve all the people of Cartwright.
Honourable Lisa Dempster
Minister of Labrador Affairs
MHA for Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair

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