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Nova Scotia to enter Phase 3 of reopening plan, allowing travellers from outside Atlantic Canada – CTV News Atlantic

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HALIFAX —
Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin announced Tuesday the province will move into Phase 3 of the government’s five-step reopening plan, which eases numerous health orders, including on travel, restaurants and spas.

Phase 3 will include reopening the province’s boundaries to travellers from the rest of Canada, beginning Wednesday.

Travellers from outside Atlantic Canada will have to complete a check-in form and will be subject to isolation requirements based on their vaccination status and test results. Those who are fully vaccinated at least 14 days before their arrival in Nova Scotia won’t have to self-isolate, while people with one dose will have to quarantine for at least seven days and will need two negative test results before leaving isolation.

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Travellers who haven’t had a shot will have to self-isolate for 14 days and will be subject to testing at the beginning and end of that period.

“We’ve all been looking forward to the day when we can once again welcome all Canadians to visit our beautiful province,” Rankin said in a release.

“Thanks to the hard work of Nova Scotians and our robust border and testing strategies, we’re now in a position to do that. Families and friends can see each other again, businesses can operate with less restrictions and visitors can safely enjoy summer in Nova Scotia while still following public health measures.”

Also starting Wednesday, people from New Brunswick will be able to enter Nova Scotia without restrictions, joining travellers from the rest of Atlantic Canada who were welcomed back to the province last Wednesday.

Nova Scotia had originally stipulated that travellers from New Brunswick would need to self-isolate upon arrival because that province had opened to the rest of Canada earlier than its Atlantic counterparts. But Rankin changed the policy following protests last week on the Trans-Canada Highway at the boundary with New Brunswick that led to a daylong blockade.

“As we start welcoming people from across the country, we are also now in a position to reopen further within Nova Scotia with larger gathering limits and higher capacity for businesses,” Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer of health, said in a release.

“We still need physical distance and masks in many settings, and everyone should get their first and second doses of vaccine as soon as possible and continue getting tested regularly.”

Under Phase 3, businesses such as hair salons, barber shops and spas will be allowed to offer walk-in service, and retail stores will be allowed to operate at 75 per cent capacity, up from 50 per cent.

Fully vaccinated long-term care residents will be allowed to welcome visitors in designated areas, and social distancing won’t be required for outdoor visits. Residents who are not fully vaccinated will also be permitted to visit outdoor public spaces, such as parks.

Restaurants will get one hour more of in-person dining, until 12 a.m., and they must close by 1 a.m., although they can continue to offer takeout, delivery and drive-thru service after closing.

Indoor social gatherings will be expanded to members of a household plus an additional 10 people, who won’t need to wear masks or socially distance, and outdoor gathering limits will remain at 25 people.

LIST OF RESTRICTIONS EASED JUNE 30

Gatherings

  • Informal gatherings can include a household plus 10 people indoors, or 25 people total outdoors without physical distance
  • Faith gatherings, formal weddings, funerals and associated receptions and visitation hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50 per cent capacity to a maximum of 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors

Business

  • Restaurants and licensed establishments continue to operate with existing mask and distancing rules; customers can go to the bar to order; establishments must stop service by midnight and close by 1 a.m.; they can have performers following the limit for arts and culture performances
  • All retail stores can operate at 75 per cent capacity
  • Personal services such as hair salons, barber shops and spas can offer all services by appointment or drop-in, following their sector plan
  • Meetings and training hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50 per cent capacity to a maximum of 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors
  • Events hosted by a recognized business or organization can have 50 per cent capacity to a maximum of 100 people indoors or 150 people outdoors; organizers need a plan following guidelines for events

Recreation and sport

  • Fitness and recreation facilities such as gyms, yoga studios, pools and arenas can operate at 75 per cent capacity with public health measures
  • A wide variety of recreation and leisure businesses and organizations, such as dance classes, music lessons, escape rooms and indoor play spaces, can operate at 50 per cent capacity
  • Organized sports practices, games, league play and recreation programs can involve up to 25 people indoors and 50 people outdoors without physical distancing; there can be no tournaments
  • Audiences follow the gathering limits for events hosted by a recognized business or organization
  • Day camps can operate with 20 campers per group plus staff and volunteers, following the day camp guidelines
  • Overnight summer camps can operate with 15 campers per group plus staff and volunteers, following the overnight camp guidelines

Arts and culture

  • Professional and amateur arts and culture rehearsals and performances can involve up to 15 people indoors and 25 outdoors without physical distancing
  • Audiences follow the gathering limits for events hosted by a recognized business or organization
  • Museums, libraries and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia can open at 50 per cent capacity

Continuing care

  • Indoor visits with fully vaccinated residents can resume in designated visitation areas at long-term care facilities
  • Physical distancing is no longer required for outdoor visits at long-term care facilities
  • Fully vaccinated residents can go to indoor and outdoor public places like parks, stores and restaurants

With files from The Canadian Press. 

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Calgary breaks all-time record in housing starts but increasing demand keeps inventory low – CBC.ca

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Soaring housing demands in Calgary led to an all-time record for new residential builds last year, but inventory levels of completed and unsold units remained low due to demand outpacing supply.

According to the latest report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), total housing starts increased by 13 per cent in Calgary, reaching a total of 19,579 units with growth across all dwelling types in the city.

That compares to a decline of 0.5 per cent overall for housing starts in the six major Canadian cities surveyed by CMHC.

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Calgary also had the highest housing starts by population.

“Part of the reason why we think that might have happened is that developers are responding to low vacancies in the rental market,” said Adebola Omosola, a housing economics specialist with CMHC.

“The population of Calgary is still growing, a record number of people moved here last year, and we still expect that to remain at least in the short term.”

Earlier this year, the Calgary Real Estate Board also predicted that demand, especially for rental apartments, wouldn’t let up any time soon. 

Industry can cope with demand, expert says

According to numbers from the report, average construction times were higher in 2023 for all dwelling types except for apartments.

The agency’s report suggests the increase in the number of under-construction residential projects might mean builders are operating at or near full capacity.

However, there’s optimism the construction industry can match the increasing need.

Brian Hahn, CEO of BILD Calgary Region, said despite concerns around about construction costs, project timelines and labour shortages, the industry has kept up with the demand for new builds.

Demand is expected to remain robust, but the construction industry can keep up, according to BILD Calgary region CEO Brian Hahn.
Demand is expected to remain robust, but the construction industry can keep up, according to BILD Calgary Region chief executive officer Brian Hahn. (Shaun Best/Reuters)

“I’ve heard that kind of conversation at the end of 2022 and I heard it in 2023,” Hahn said.

“Yet here we are early in 2024, and January and February were record numbers again.”

Hahn added he believes the current pace of construction will continue for at least the next six months and that the industry is looking at initiatives to attract more people to the trades.

Increase in row house and apartment construction

Construction growth was largely driven by new apartment projects, making up almost half of the housing starts in Calgary in 2023.

The federal housing agency says 9,034 apartment units were started that year, an increase of 17 per cent from the previous year. Of those, about 54 per cent were purpose-built rentals.

Apartments made up around two-thirds of all units under construction, CMHC said, with the total number of units under construction reaching 23,473.

Growth, however, was seen across all dwelling types. Row homes increased by 34 per cent from the previous year while groundbreaking on single-detached homes grew by two per cent.

“Notwithstanding challenges, our members and the industry counterparts that support them managed to produce a record amount of starts and completions,” Hahn said.

“I have little doubt that the industry will do their very best to keep pace at those levels.”

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Ottawa real estate: House starts down, apartments up in 2023 – CTV News Ottawa

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Rental housing dominated construction in Ottawa last year, according to a new report from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

Residential construction declined significantly in 2023, with housing starts dropping to 9,245 units, a 19.5 per cent decline from the record high observed in 2022. But while single-detached and row housing starts fell compared to 2022, new construction for rental units and condominiums rose.

“There’s been a shift toward rental construction over the past two years. Rental housing starts made up nearly one third of total starts in 2023, close to double the average of the previous five years,” the report stated.

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Apartment starts reached their highest level since the 1970s.

“The trend toward rental and condominium apartment construction follows increased demand in these market segments due to population growth, households looking for affordable options, and some seniors downsizing to smaller units,” the CMHC said.

Demand from international migration and students, the high cost of home ownership, and people moving to Ottawa from other parts of Ontario were the main drivers for rental housing starts in 2023. The CMHC says rental and condominium apartment starts made up 63 per cent of total starts in 2023, compared to the average of 37 per cent for the period 2018-2022.

There was a modest increase in rental housing starts in 2023 over the record-high seen the year prior and a jump in new condominiums. The report shows 5,846 new apartments were built in Ottawa last year, up 2.1 per cent compared to 2022.

Housing starts in Ottawa by year. (CMHC)

Big demand for condos

The CMHC said condo starts reached a new high in 2023, increasing 3 per cent from 2022 numbers.

“As of the end of 2023, there were only 13 completed and unsold condominium units, highlighting continued demand for new units,” the CMHC said.

Condominum starts increased in areas such as Chinatown, Hintonburg, Vanier and Alta Vista, as well as some suburban areas like Kanata, Stittsville, and western Orléans. Condo apartment construction declined in denser parts of the city like downtown, Lowertown and Centretown, the report says.

Taller buildings are also becoming more common, as the cranes dotting the skyline can attest. The CMHC notes that buildings with more than 20 storeys accounted for nearly 10 per cent of apartment structure starts in 2022 and 2023, compared to an average of 2 per cent over the 2017-2021 period. The number of units per building also rose 7 per cent compared to 2022.

Apartment building heights in Ottawa by year. (CMHC)

Single-detached home construction down significantly

The number of new single-detached homes built in Ottawa last year was the lowest level seen in the city since the mid 1990s, CMHC said.

“The Ottawa area experienced a slowdown in residential construction in 2023, driven by a significant decline in single-detached and row housing starts,” the CMHC said.

Single-detached housing starts were down 45 per cent compared to 2022. Row house starts dropped by 38 per cent compared to 2022, marking a third year of declines in a row.

“Demand for single-detached and row houses also declined in 2023. Higher mortgage rates and home prices have led to a shift in demand toward more affordable rental and condominium units,” the report said.

There were 1,535 single-detached housing starts in Ottawa last year, 208 new semi-detached homes and 1,678 new row houses.

The majority of single-detached and row housing starts were built in suburban communities such as Barrhaven, Stittsville, Kanata, Orléans and rural parts of the city.

“Increased construction costs resulting from higher financing rates and inflation that occurred in 2022 and 2023 contributed to the decline in construction in the region,” the CMHC said. 

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Trump’s media company ticker leads to fleeting windfall for some investors

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A man looks at a screen that displays trading information about shares of Truth Social and Trump Media & Technology Group, outside the Nasdaq Market site in New York City, U.S., March 26.Brendan McDermid/Reuters

Possible confusion over the new stock symbol for former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social (DJT-Q) saw some investor brokerage balances briefly jump by hundreds of thousands of dollars on Tuesday, the first day Trump’s “DJT” ticker traded.

Several people complained on social media about briefly seeing the value of their DJT stock holdings on Charles Schwab platforms inflated to figures more in line with what they would be worth if the shares traded at the level of the Dow Jones Transportation Average.

Some users said they faced a similar issue in pre-market hours on Morgan Stanley’s E*Trade trading platform.

Shares of Trump Media & Technology Group opened Tuesday at $70.90, while the Dow Jones Transportation Average started the session at 15,937.73 points.

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For one trader, the Schwab brokerage balance jumped by more than $1 million due to the error, according to a screen grab shared on social media platform X. Reuters was unable to contact the trader or independently verify the brokerage balance.

“It sure was nice seeing millions in the account, even if it wasn’t real,” another person, going by the username @DanielBenjamin8, who faced the issue in his E*Trade account, posted on X.

Two X users and one on Reddit surmised that the inflated balances were due to the ticker symbol for the company being nearly identical to the index.

A spokeswoman for Charles Schwab said that certain users on some of Schwab’s trading platforms saw their brokerage balances briefly inflated due to a technical issue.

The issue has been resolved and investors are able to trade equities and options on Schwab platforms, she said. Schwab declined to describe the exact cause of the issue.

E*Trade did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside of regular business hours.

Trump Media & Technology Group and S&P Dow Jones Indices, which maintains the Dow Jones Transportation Average Index, did not immediately comment on the issue.

While social media users said the issue appeared to have been resolved, many rued not being able to cash out their supposed gains from the error.

“I better go tell my boss that I’m actually not retiring,” the trader whose account balance had briefly jump by more than $1 million, wrote on X.

Trump Media & Technology Group shares surged more than 36% on Tuesday in their debut on the Nasdaq that comes more than two years since its merger with a blank-check firm was announced.

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