Government of Newfoundland News

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

Fire and Emergency Services-Newfoundland and Labrador (FES-NL) encourages residents and communities to be prepared for a winter storm forecast to affect the province on Wednesday, January 13, and Thursday, January 14.

Executive Council
Finance

Newfoundland and Labrador is facing mounting debt, increasing interest and borrowing costs, a credit rating downgrade, and restricted ability to support key government programming. In response to this difficult fiscal reality, the Provincial Government is launching the multi-year Government Renewal Initiative to identify a combination of measures to eliminate the province's deficit and move forward with a sustainable budgetary framework for Newfoundland and Labrador.

Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development

The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development, will attend meetings for federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for tourism this week. The meetings are taking place in Winnipeg, January 13-14.

Advanced Education and Skills

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills, will attend the official welcome reception for Syrian refugees tomorrow (Wednesday, January 13). The Association for New Canadians is hosting the reception for private sponsors, stakeholders and government officials. The event takes place 1:00 p.m. at St. Pius X Parish Hall, 16 Smithville Crescent, St. John’s.

Environment and Conservation

The Honourable Perry Trimper, Minister of Environment and Conservation, will bring greetings at the 2016 Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association Convention and Annual General Meeting, at the Glynmill Inn, Corner Brook.

Office of the Child and Youth Advocate

I will be giving a prepared statement, after which I will be happy to take questions; however, at this time, it is important to remind you that I will not provide information which violates confidentiality.

Office of the Child and Youth Advocate

Carol A. Chafe, Advocate for Children and Youth, will be holding a press conference at 11:00 a.m. today (Tuesday, January 12) to publicly release an investigative report. The press conference will take place in the boardroom at the Advocate for Children and Youth, 193 LeMarchant Road, St. John’s.

Executive Council
Finance

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, together with the Honourable Cathy Bennett, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, and the Honourable Siobhan Coady, Minister Responsible for the Office of Public Engagement, will launch a multi-year approach designed to identify measures that will address the fiscal reality facing the province. The news conference will take place tomorrow (Tuesday, January 12) at 2:00 p.m. in the Media Centre, Ground Floor, East Block, Confederation Building.

Executive Council

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will formally welcome the first-year class of Memorial University’s School of Pharmacy as part of the annual White Coat Ceremony presentation.

Seniors, Wellness and Social Development

Applications are now being accepted for individuals who wish to volunteer for the Team Newfoundland and Labrador mission staff at the 2017 Canada Summer Games, to be held July 28 to August 13, 2017, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The team will be led by Chef de Mission Rod Snow of Paradise, while Karen Sheriffs of St. John's and Frank Humber of Corner Brook will serve as Assistant Chefs. All three served in those same respective roles at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, British Columbia.

Justice and Public Safety

The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General, today offered condolences to the family and friends of former Chief Justice T. Alex Hickman.

Transportation and Works
Education and Early Childhood Development

The tender call for the Virginia Park Elementary School project in St. John's will be extended to March 31, 2016. The tender was scheduled to close January 12. The extension is necessary to conduct further environmental sampling, which will be done in accordance with requirements of the Department of Environment and Conservation and helps ensure a safe and healthy environment for the school community.

Executive Council
Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador will meet with the Honourable Hunter Tootoo, federal Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, today (Monday, January 11). A media availability will be held following the meeting in front of the House of Assembly at 12:45 p.m.

Environment and Conservation

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is maintaining the closure of Terra Nova Bridge in T'Railway Provincial Park amid safety concerns and is asking for the public's continued cooperation. The bridge has been barricaded and closed to all pedestrian and vehicular traffic since structural problems were identified in November 2015.