Wait times to cross the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border could be a thing of the past starting next Thursday.
At a press conference Friday, Premier Blaine Higgs said that, “while border measures will remain in place for travellers from outside the Atlantic provinces, we are planning to suspend the screening of travellers entering New Brunswick from Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia by land.”
The change will be in effect as of Thursday, October 8th.
Higgs said the change would free up peace officers to “focus on other efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 such as ensuring compliance with guidelines like 14 day self isolation, gathering and business operations.”
“It is important that our diligence continues,” the Premier said. “It is important that we look after each other and we cannot lose sight of just how close the virus is to an outbreak at any point in time.”
When asked about his previous concerns over travellers coming in through the Halifax airport, Higgs said those concerns had been put to rest as part of this change.
“We were able to work with Nova Scotia government to improve the scrutiny at the airport of who’s coming and going and where, because that was the stalling point, not understanding well enough who was flying into an international airport.”
Higgs said that issue has been resolved. “And that will allow us to make the changes right at the land borders.”
CBC has reported that neither PEI nor Nova Scotia officials would confirm that similar changes would happen with their screening protocols.
Higgs also said that the province may be considering making masks mandatory in public spaces as early as Thursday.
“Although I prefer not to make mask use mandatory in public spaces, I know that it may be necessary, either as early as October 8,” he said.
https://www.chmafm.com/welcome/higgs-announces-changes-at-the-border-for-next-week/?unapproved=37&moderation-hash=fe3b00d56db3a28d83c9e6ecc6154a79#comment-37
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