Officials confirmed earlier this week that Nova Scotia can finally enter Phase 3 of the province’s Re-Opening Plan beginning on Wednesday, June 30.
Prior to the announcement, the Rankin government faced backlash over their policy change which required people travelling from New Brunswick to self-isolate when they arrived in Nova Scotia (after rumours of the Atlantic Bubble opening once again). This decision led to protests on the Trans-Canada highway at the border which led to a day-long blockade.
Phase 3 of the Re-Opening Plan comes with the highly anticipated ease of restrictions around travel into Nova Scotia from places within Canada, as well as a continued expansion of gatherings and social activities.
See below for your guide to all the rules for Phase 3 in Nova Scotia, so you can start planning your summer road trip asap.
Personal and Wellness Services
Hair salons, barber shops, spas, nail salons and body art establishments can operate fully. This includes appointments as well as walk-ins for all services.
Restaurants, Bars and Casinos
Casino Nova Scotia (Halifax and Sydney locations) can operate at maximum capacity with public health measures, such as social distancing and masks, in place. They can stay open until 1 a.m. with food and alcohol being served until 12 a.m.
Restaurants and drinking establishments can offer indoor dining, outdoor dining and bar service with physical distancing between people at different tables. There is still a maximum close social bubble of 10 people per table and wearing a mask is required except when eating or drinking. Drinking establishments can remain open until 1 a.m. and can only serve dine-in customers until 12 a.m.
Live music is permitted indoors and outdoors at establishments with up to 15 performers indoors and 25 performers outdoors.
Retail and Shopping
All retail stores can operate at 75% of the store’s capacity with public health measures like social distancing and masks.
Festivals, Special Events, and Arts and Culture Events
Events, such as performances, can operate at 50% of the venue’s capacity with up to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors with social distancing and masks.
Indoor and Outdoor Social Gatherings
The informal social gathering limit indoors is no more than your household plus 10 people without social distancing and masks.
The informal social gathering limit outdoors remains up to 25 people without social distancing and masks.
Sports
Participants in organized sports (recreational, amateur and professional) can gather with up to 25 people indoors and up to 50 people outdoors without social distancing for practices, games and league play.
Weddings
Informal wedding ceremonies (including reception and visitation) can have no more than your household plus 10 people and the person conducting the ceremony indoors and up to 25 people plus the person conducting the ceremony outdoors without social distancing.
Wedding ceremonies (including reception and visitation) can operate at 50% of the venue’s capacity up to 100 people indoors and 150 people outdoors with social distancing when hosted by a business or organization.
Museums and Libraries
Museums, libraries and Art Gallery of Nova Scotia can operate at 50% capacity with public health measures in place.
Fitness and Recreation
Business organizations offering a wide variety of indoor recreation and leisure activities (like climbing facilities, dance classes, escape rooms, indoor arcades, and music lessons) can operate at 50% capacity and need to maintain physical distancing between participants during activities. Wearing a mask is required unless participating in an activity that makes it difficult to do so.
Fitness establishments (like gyms and yoga studios) and recreation facilities (like pools, arenas, and tennis courts) can operate at 75% capacity.
Golf courses can operate at maximum capacity while maintaining the minimum physical distance requirements between each group on the course.
Travel
Starting June 30, if you’re travelling from outside of the Atlantic provinces (but within Canada) you can enter Nova Scotia. You need to complete the Safe Check-in Form and may need to self-isolate when you arrive or return to the province based on vaccination status and testing. Self-isolation requirements include:
- People who have at least 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in Nova Scotia don’t have to self-isolate. Testing is recommended.
- People who have their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days before arriving in Nova Scotia must self-isolate for 7 days and receive 2 negative test results in order to leave self-isolation after 7 days.
- People who are not vaccinated must self-isolate for 14 days. Testing is recommended at the start and end of your self-isolation.
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Source: Government of Nova Scotia, CTVNews
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