Below are the key government announcements made on June 4, 2020 that touch on workplace issues. Our daily (weekday) and weekend overviews of previous government announcements, employment analyses and other COVID-19 information are available here.
The Federal Government
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on June 4, 2020.
Alberta
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on June 4, 2020.
British Columbia
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on June 4, 2020.
Manitoba
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on June 4, 2020.
New Brunswick
The government announced that, except in the Campbellton region:
- effective June 5, 2020:
- indoor gatherings in private homes of 10 or fewer people are allowed;
- outdoor public gatherings of 50 or fewer people are allowed;
- religious services, including wedding and funerals, of 50 or fewer people are permitted;
- the number of elective surgeries and other non-emergency health-care services will increase;
- residents of long-term care facilities may have outdoor visits with up to 2 visitors;
- low-contact team sports will be permitted; and
- the following can reopen:
- swimming pools, saunas and waterparks;
- gyms, yoga and dance studios;
- rinks and indoor recreational facilities; and
- pool halls and bowling alleys; and
- effective June 19, 2020:
- overnight camps may open;
- residents of long-term care facilities may have indoor visits with 1 visitor (or 2 if the visitor requires support);
- Canadian residents owning property in New Brunswick may enter the province provided they self-isolate for 14 days; and
- Canadian residents with immediate family in New Brunswick (i.e. parent, child, sibling, grandchild, grandparent, significant other) may enter the province provided they self-isolate for 14 days.
Further details and guidance are provided in the government's recovery plan.
Newfoundland and Labrador
The government announced that it will begin gradually increasing the number of public service employees in physical workspaces starting June 8, 2020.
Nova Scotia
The government announced the COVID-19 Response and Mitigation Program. This program will help food producers with the costs of health and safety requirements related to COVID-19. Agricultural businesses can apply for assistance now.
Ontario
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on June 4, 2020.
Prince Edward Island
There were no major government updates as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on June 4, 2020.
Quebec
The government announced the gradual resumption of outdoor team sport training, with physical distancing restrictions, starting June 8, 2020. The full resumption of team games is expected to be announced prior to the end of June, and is expected to require rule amendments (e.g. to maintain physical distancing in the sport). The government announced that sport federations will be required to have COVID-19 guides approved by public health authorities before any resumption of play will be permitted.
The government also announced:
- effective June 8, 2020, private swimming pools may open to the public. A guide for operators has been published by the Association des responsables aquatiques du Québec; and
- the supervised practice of individual sports (e.g. yoga, guided outdoor activities) is now permitted, so long as physical distancing of 2-metres is respected.
Saskatchewan
The government announced that it will expand the Temporary Wage Supplement Program (PDF) to anyone working at licensed public or private long-term care facilities under public health orders restricting visitations, regardless of income level.
In addition, workers at assisted living facilities under public health orders will now be eligible for the wage supplement if they earned a wage of less than $24.00 per hour in an applicable 4-week period.
The government also announced:
- starting June 8, 2020, employees returning to work as part of Phase 3 of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan (PDF) will now be offered access to school-based childcare facilities, and childcare facilities can have a maximum of 15 children per designated space. The specific details of the guidelines can be found here;
- the following sections of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan (PDF) were updated:
- guidelines for fitness facilities;
- guidelines for parks and campgrounds; and
- public health orders.
- phase 4 of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan (PDF), which does not yet have an opening date, will be implemented in the following parts:
- Part I will include the reopening of child and youth day camps and outdoor pools and spray parks; and
- Part II will include the reopening of indoor pools, indoor rinks, libraries, museums, galleries, movie theatres, casinos and bingo halls.
Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and the Yukon
In the Northwest Territories, Highway 8 (the Dempster Highway) will reopen on June 6, 2020, subject to river and weather conditions. The Territory's border with the Yukon will remain closed to all traffic except for:
- maintenance, emergency and supply chain vehicles;
- residents with an approved social isolation plan in place; and
- persons with an approved exemption from the government.
In the Nunavut, the government reiterated that all travellers are subject to a 14-day isolation before being allowed to enter the Territory. However, the government stated that critical workers may be exempted from isolation. Critical workers are invited to submit a Critical Worker Exemption Form (PDF) to the Chief Public Health Officer to obtain the required authorization.
There were no major government updates in the Yukon as of 5:00 p.m. E.D.T. on June 4, 2020.
