Many of the COVID-19 restrictions that were in place just for the Halifax-area have ended and new regulations have kicked in province-wide. Here’s a detailed look at the rules we have to follow over the holidays.
Travel
The province continues to advise against unnecessary travel over the holidays, but there’s no longer a recommendation specifically around travel into and out of areas of HRM and Hants County.
“We know for lots of people, the holiday often means travel within the province to visit family,” Dr. Robert Strang said. “We’re not telling you that you can’t, we’re asking you to think twice about it.”
Those who choose to travel are asked to drive there directly and not make any unnecessary stops.
“And when you get there, stay there,” added Premier Stephen McNeil.
If you leave the province, you will need to abide by the regulations of the jurisdiction you are visiting, which may include registration and/or self-isolation.
Anyone who leaves Atlantic Canada for non-essential reasons will likely need to self-isolate for 14 days upon return to Nova Scotia. Adults and post-secondary students will also need to complete a Nova Scotia Safe Check-in Form (self-declaration) before they arrive.
Gathering limits for casual socializing
We are now allowed to have a close social group of up to ten people without physical distancing.
“This group is typically the people you live with and maybe a few more,” Strang explained. “You should try to keep this group consistent … it should not be one group today, another group tomorrow, and a third group in a couple of days.”
The number of people you can have in a home is also limited to ten.
“If there are more than ten people in your home, that’s fine, nobody needs to move out, but unfortunately that means you can’t have visitors,” Strang said.
Faith gatherings, wedding ceremonies and funeral services
The maximum number of people who can gather for weddings, funerals or religious ceremonies is 150 if it’s outside. If it’s inside, it’s 50 per cent of the venue’s capacity to a maximum of 100.
“These events must be held by a recognized business or organization, and all of the other COVID-19 protocols — physical distancing outside of the close groups of ten, handwashing, screening, etc. — must be in place,” said Strang.
However, large gatherings following any of these ceremonies are not currently allowed.
“So for the next three weeks, we are considering weddings and funeral receptions to be special events, which are not allowed,” he added.
“If you do want a reception, it will need to be with ten or less people at a home.”
Festivals, special events, arts/cultural events and sports events
There will be no special events for at least the next three weeks, which includes sports, arts and culture events, but practices and rehearsals are allowed with a maximum of 25 people.
“That means groups of up to 25 can practice, train or rehearse together without physical distancing, but there can be no games, tournaments or performances,” Strang explained.
Long-term care homes
Dr. Robert Strang said long-term care residents will not be allowed to go home to visit their families this holiday season.
“There is just too much risk of them bringing COVID back into the facility,” he stated.
“However, we recognize the importance of socialization and connecting with family for residents in long-term care facilities for their overall health and well being,” he added.
That means each resident will now be allowed to have two designated caregivers and facilities can now allow a limited number of visitors.
“This will be in small numbers, which means that they may not be able to accommodate having every family member there at once,” Strang explained.
“Each facility will manage the scheduling and the number of visitors based on their capacities, and we ask families to be understanding and patient with each of the homes they may want to visit.”
Restaurants and casinos
Casinos in the Halifax-area remain closed until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 10.
Restaurants and licensed establishments also remain closed to in-person dining until that time. They can continue to offer takeout and delivery.
The affected area includes the western half of Halifax Regional Municipality, along with Elmsdale, Enfield and Mount Uniacke.
“What we need to do is reduce the chances that the virus has to spread between people,” Strang explained.
“So in restaurants and licensed establishments, we need to reduce the longer social interactions where people are not wearing masks because they’re eating and drinking.”
However, food courts in malls are allowed to reopen.
“We do know that people who are under-housed or homeless, often the only warm place they have during the winter are public places like malls,” Strang said. “So that’s why we are asking them to (reopen) food courts.”
If you’re heading elsewhere in the province over the holidays, restaurants and licensed establishments outside of the Halifax-area must stop service by 10 p.m. and close by 11 p.m.
Fitness facilities
Fitness facilities in the Halifax area, like gyms and yoga studios, are allowed to reopen, but must operate at 50 per cent capacity for in-person activities with physical distancing.
Virtual and outdoor classes are allowed with physical distancing.
“We are requiring that these fitness facilities and studios keep a three metre or close to ten feet distance between participants who are involved in high intensity activities, like a spin or boxing class,” said Strang.
“And in all fitness facilities and studios, masks must be worn, except for when people are actually exercising.”
Hair salons and spas
Hair salons and spas in the Halifax area can resume providing services that require the removal of a mask.
Retail businesses
Retail businesses in the Halifax area will need to continue operating at 25 per cent of their capacity, and that rule has now been expanded across the province.
“This will help avoid crowds forming during a period when there is traditionally a lot of shopping,” Strang said.
As mentioned above in the restaurant section, food courts in malls are allowed to reopen.
Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, museums and libraries
Museums, libraries and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia are all allowed to reopen at full capacity in the Halifax area.
“But they have to maintain all the COVID precautions around physical distancing and the other public health measures,” said Strang.
MONTREAL – Travel company Transat AT Inc. reported a loss in its latest quarter compared with a profit a year earlier as its revenue edged lower.
The parent company of Air Transat says it lost $39.9 million or $1.03 per diluted share in its quarter ended July 31.
The result compared with a profit of $57.3 million or $1.49 per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue in what was the company’s third quarter totalled $736.2 million, down from $746.3 million in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Transat says it lost $1.10 per share in its latest quarter compared with an adjusted profit of $1.10 per share a year earlier.
Transat chief executive Annick Guérard says demand for leisure travel remains healthy, as evidenced by higher traffic, but consumers are increasingly price conscious given the current economic uncertainty.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Dollarama Inc.’s food aisles may have expanded far beyond sweet treats or piles of gum by the checkout counter in recent years, but its chief executive maintains his company is “not in the grocery business,” even if it’s keeping an eye on the sector.
“It’s just one small part of our store,” Neil Rossy told analysts on a Wednesday call, where he was questioned about the company’s food merchandise and rivals playing in the same space.
“We will keep an eye on all retailers — like all retailers keep an eye on us — to make sure that we’re competitive and we understand what’s out there.”
Over the last decade and as consumers have more recently sought deals, Dollarama’s food merchandise has expanded to include bread and pantry staples like cereal, rice and pasta sold at prices on par or below supermarkets.
However, the competition in the discount segment of the market Dollarama operates in intensified recently when the country’s biggest grocery chain began piloting a new ultra-discount store.
The No Name stores being tested by Loblaw Cos. Ltd. in Windsor, St. Catharines and Brockville, Ont., are billed as 20 per cent cheaper than discount retail competitors including No Frills. The grocery giant is able to offer such cost savings by relying on a smaller store footprint, fewer chilled products and a hearty range of No Name merchandise.
Though Rossy brushed off notions that his company is a supermarket challenger, grocers aren’t off his radar.
“All retailers in Canada are realistic about the fact that everyone is everyone’s competition on any given item or category,” he said.
Rossy declined to reveal how much of the chain’s sales would overlap with Loblaw or the food category, arguing the vast variety of items Dollarama sells is its strength rather than its grocery products alone.
“What makes Dollarama Dollarama is a very wide assortment of different departments that somewhat represent the old five-and-dime local convenience store,” he said.
The breadth of Dollarama’s offerings helped carry the company to a second-quarter profit of $285.9 million, up from $245.8 million in the same quarter last year as its sales rose 7.4 per cent.
The retailer said Wednesday the profit amounted to $1.02 per diluted share for the 13-week period ended July 28, up from 86 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
The period the quarter covers includes the start of summer, when Rossy said the weather was “terrible.”
“The weather got slightly better towards the end of the summer and our sales certainly increased, but not enough to make up for the season’s horrible start,” he said.
Sales totalled $1.56 billion for the quarter, up from $1.46 billion in the same quarter last year.
Comparable store sales, a key metric for retailers, increased 4.7 per cent, while the average transaction was down2.2 per cent and traffic was up seven per cent, RBC analyst Irene Nattel pointed out.
She told investors in a note that the numbers reflect “solid demand as cautious consumers focus on core consumables and everyday essentials.”
Analysts have attributed such behaviour to interest rates that have been slow to drop and high prices of key consumer goods, which are weighing on household budgets.
To cope, many Canadians have spent more time seeking deals, trading down to more affordable brands and forgoing small luxuries they would treat themselves to in better economic times.
“When people feel squeezed, they tend to shy away from discretionary, focus on the basics,” Rossy said. “When people are feeling good about their wallet, they tend to be more lax about the basics and more willing to spend on discretionary.”
The current economic situation has drawn in not just the average Canadian looking to save a buck or two, but also wealthier consumers.
“When the entire economy is feeling slightly squeezed, we get more consumers who might not have to or want to shop at a Dollarama generally or who enjoy shopping at a Dollarama but have the luxury of not having to worry about the price in some other store that they happen to be standing in that has those goods,” Rossy said.
“Well, when times are tougher, they’ll consider the extra five minutes to go to the store next door.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
TORONTO – The U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has ordered TD Bank Group to pay US$28 million for repeatedly sharing inaccurate, negative information about its customers to consumer reporting companies.
The agency says TD has to pay US$7.76 million in total to tens of thousands of victims of its illegal actions, along with a US$20 million civil penalty.
It says TD shared information that contained systemic errors about credit card and bank deposit accounts to consumer reporting companies, which can include credit reports as well as screening reports for tenants and employees and other background checks.
CFPB director Rohit Chopra says in a statement that TD threatened the consumer reports of customers with fraudulent information then “barely lifted a finger to fix it,” and that regulators will need to “focus major attention” on TD Bank to change its course.
TD says in a statement it self-identified these issues and proactively worked to improve its practices, and that it is committed to delivering on its responsibilities to its customers.
The bank also faces scrutiny in the U.S. over its anti-money laundering program where it expects to pay more than US$3 billion in monetary penalties to resolve.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 11, 2024.
