Government of Newfoundland News

Innovation, Business and Rural Development

The Southern Shore Folk Arts Council is better positioned to support the cultural sector in the Ferryland region as a result of a Provincial Government investment of $54,538. Funding will be used to enhance Festival Park, home of the annual Shamrock Folk Festival, as well as support other Arts Council amenities. The 29th annual Shamrock Festival will take place this weekend in Ferryland.

Natural Resources

The outdoor fire ban implemented for forest land in all regions on the Island of Newfoundland will end at 6:00 p.m. today (Friday, July 25). Forestry officials with the Department of Natural Resources have determined that current weather and forest conditions warrant lifting the ban. Once the ban is lifted, there will no longer be a restriction on open fires, campfires, the use of outdoor wood burning devices, fireworks, backyard fires including backyard fire pits, and beach fires on Crown forested areas.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

The Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs, will be joined by John P. McDonough, Secretary of State, Maryland, for the signing of a Friendship Agreement between the two jurisdictions.

Executive Council

The Honourable Tom Marshall, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, will address and officially open the Codroy Valley Folk Festival tomorrow (Saturday, July 26). The event will begin at 2:00 p.m. at the recreation complex, Route 406, Upper Ferry, Codroy Valley.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

The provision of fire safety services in George’s Brook-Milton is being enhanced through a $245,000 investment for the purchase of a new pumper tanker for the community. The announcement was made last night by the Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister Responsible for Fire and Emergency Services-NL, and the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Speaker of the House of Assembly and MHA for Trinity North.

Tourism, Culture and Recreation: Sport Newfoundland and Labrador

The Newfoundland and Labrador Basketball Association (NLBA) is sending four hoop teams to compete in the Midget and Juvenile Boys and Girls National Championships, taking place in Edmonton, Alberta, from July 25 to 30. Representatives from all 10 provinces will participate in four divisions.

Health and Community Services

The communities of Port aux Basques and Burgeo will receive $495,000 in health care funding, an investment which will support infrastructure upgrades and the purchase of new equipment to improve the safety and care of patients and residents.

Education

Memorial University has recognized the success of the revised provincial mathematics curriculum by offering high school graduates who have completed Calculus 3208 the option to write a newly-established Calculus Placement Test (CPT), which can earn them a university mathematics credit (Math 1000) and direct entry into Math 1001.

Natural Resources

The outdoor fire ban implemented by the Department of Natural Resources on July 21 for forested areas in all regions of the island will remain in place until weather and forest conditions warrant lifting the ban. The department thanks residents for their cooperation.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Federal Government’s unwillingness to consider alternatives to its “Last In, First Out” (LIFO) policy continues to threaten the economic well-being of rural communities that depend on northern shrimp. The Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Chair of the All-Party Committee, was joined by Dwight Ball, Leader of the Official Opposition, and Lorraine Michael, Leader of the New Democratic Party, in discussions yesterday with the Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, but received no indication that the Federal Government would act on any of the committee’s recommendations.

Health and Community Services

Health centres in Twillingate and Fogo Island will receive $538,000 in funding for infrastructure upgrades and new x-ray equipment.

Tourism, Culture and Recreation
Transportation and Works

The Red Bay Basque Whaling Station was officially celebrated as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site today, with the unveiling of three plaques – one in English, one in French and one in Basque. The site, designated by the World Heritage Committee in 2013, includes the remains of 16th century Basque whaling ships and shore stations which once supported a thriving whaling industry. The Honourable Nick McGrath, Minister of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible for Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, attended the ceremony on behalf of the Provincial Government.

Education

High school transcripts, including final marks indicating how students performed during the school year, have been mailed to students throughout the province.

Transportation and Works

On behalf of the Provincial Government, the Honourable Nick McGrath, Minister of Transportation and Works and Minister Responsible for Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, will be in Red Bay, tomorrow (Wednesday, July 23), to attend a plaque unveiling ceremony at the Basque Whaling Station. The event will take place at the Parks Canada Visitor Orientation Centre, Red Bay National Historic Site, at 11:00 a.m.

Transportation and Works
Justice

To support the construction of a new provincial courthouse in Stephenville, a request for proposals is being issued this week for a firm to develop master planning and functional programming which will outline space requirements, conceptual layout and suggested schedule.

Executive Council
Health and Community Services

The Provincial Government has reached a tentative funding agreement with the Newfoundland and Labrador Community Ambulance Operators Association which represents community-based non-profit ambulance operators across the province. It includes a total increase in funding of $1.6 million over the term of the agreement and base wage increases for ambulance attendants.

Executive Council

The Honourable Tom Marshall, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced the appointment of the Honourable Tony Cornect as Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. This is in addition to his recent appointment as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

The Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Chair of the all-party committee on federal shrimp quota allocations, will be available to the media tomorrow (Tuesday, July 22) at 4:30 p.m. outside the House of Assembly. Minister Hutchings will be joined by Dwight Ball, Leader of the Official Opposition, and Lorraine Michael, Leader of the New Democratic Party.

Fisheries and Aquaculture

During recent meetings of the Canadian Council of Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers in Calgary, the Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, met with the Honourable Gail Shea, federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, to stress the importance of meeting with the province’s all party committee on federal shrimp quota allocations. Minister Shea has now officially agreed to meet the all party committee in St. John’s tomorrow (Tuesday, July 22) to engage in discussions about the management of northern shrimp resources.

Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs

Volunteer firefighters play a significant role in public safety throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. To support this work the Honourable Darin King, Minister of Education and MHA for Grand Bank, joined firefighters and officials from the community of Lawn on Sunday, July 20, and Grand Bank on Monday, July 21, to announce new pumper trucks for each community.