Nova Scotia Will Get $250-Million Through Federal Safe Restart Program
HALIFAX — Nova Scotia will receive more than $250-million from the federal government’s newly announced Safe Restart Agreement.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced yesterday his government will shell out more than $19-billion through the agreement. The program is intended to help provinces and territories economically recover from the Covid-19 pandemic over the next six-to-eight months.
The money, Trudeau said, will help “ensure the provinces and territories have the finances they need to protect the health of Canadians, help people get back to work safely, and prepare for a potential second wave.”
The federal government first announced the program in June, but yesterday Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland fleshed out the details.
Money from the program will flow to seven priority areas, including funding for Covid-19 testing and contact tracing, vulnerable populations, and personal protective equipment for frontline and essential workers.
Friedland said some of the money will also be used to address the “unique needs of women and mothers,” including $625-million to fund much-needed childcare for parents looking to go back to work.
About $1-billion will also be used to create a national sick leave program that will provide 10 days of paid sick leave to anyone who doesn’t already have it through their employer.
Another approximately $2-billion will be used to help municipalities cover their operational costs, as well as specific support for public transit.
Trudeau said towns and cities have “been at the forefront of responding to Covid-19” and that “if cities are not equipped for a safe restart, people will not be safe.”
“Covid-19 isn’t’ just a health crisis, it’s an economic crisis too. So when we talk about the recovery phase it’s not just about making sure we can detect, control, and prevent future outbreaks, it’s also about helping people, business, and entire communities adjust to our new normal,” Trudeau said.
In a news release, Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil said provinces have “borne the full impact of Covid-19,” and will continue to feel its sting “for months to come.”
“This funding will help to address those challenges. I am grateful to my fellow premiers for their collaborative approach that will ensure Nova Scotians and all Canadians receive the help they need,” he said.
Most of the federal funding through the Safe Restart Program will be allocated on a per capita basis, with some being allocated on a “needs basis.”
Measures like support for transit will require provinces to pitch in their own money, while others (such as sick leave) will be fully funded and administered by the federal government.