The re-opening of Nova Scotia businesses will be greatly expanded next week.
Premier Stephen McNeil announced the intention Wednesday, saying if public health protocols are met, many businesses could start reopening Friday, June 5.
The list includes restaurants for dine-in, as well as take-out and delivery, bars, wineries, distilleries, and craft beer taprooms, hair salons, barbershops, spas, nail salons and tattoo parlours, gyms and yoga studios.
Dr. Robert Strang, the province’s chief medical officer of health, added any business planning to reopen June 5 must “follow plans that ensure public health protocols have been met.”
Restaurants will be allowed to open, but not without physical distancing restrictions maintaining two metres between tables and only operating at 50 percent of their seating capacity.
Strang added they will also have to limit table sizes based on the maximum group size allowed under public health rules.
Self-regulated health professionals, like dentistry, optometry, chiropractors, and physiotherapists will also be allowed to open June 5, as will unregulated professions such as massage therapists, veterinarians, podiatrists, and naturopaths, however re-opening a date for daycares has been pushed back couple of weeks.
The Premier also announced help through a twenty-five million dollar small business re-opening grant.
“This fund will provide eligible small businesses, not-for-profit, charities, and social enterprises with a grant of up to $5000. Along with the grant, we are offering a voucher worth $1500 to access consulting services to offer you advice.”
Also announced, was an infrastructure investment of $200 million, which will go toward more than two hundred “shovel ready” projects.
“Including additional paving of Hundred Series highways, expansion of our gravel road program, replacement of bridges across our province, green energy projects, school repairs, waterfronts, small option homes, and provincial museum upgrades,” added McNeil.
The government says tenders will be issued immediately and will be rolled out over the next four weeks.
One new positive COVID-19 case was identified Tuesday at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax, which now has sixteen active cases involving 12 residents and four staff.
The province now has 39,441 negative test results, 1053 positive COVID-19 test results and 59 deaths.
Seven people as of Wednesday are in the hospital, three of them in the ICU, and 975 people having recovered from the virus.
