The Saskatchewan government is shutting down more services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier Scott Moe says part of this is due to the fact that is he is concerned some people returning from international travel were not following the 14-day self-isolation policy.
“These measures need to be taken and taken seriously. There will be and in many cases penalties that would come into place,” stated Moe. He went on to share an example of someone receiving a $2,000 fine if they do not follow the mandatory self-isolation policy if they have returned from international travel.
Premier Moe said the goal is full compliance with the orders now put into law under the Emergency Measures Act.
“This is not a suggestion, it’s not a guideline – it is now the law,” added the premier.
“When you return to Canada, you must go home immediately and you must self-isolate for two weeks. This doesn’t that you go to the grocery store or the drug store or go fill up with gas and then you go home and self-isolate. This means you go home and stay home, and if you don’t do this, you are now breaking the law.”
In consultation with the Minister of Health, the following measures are effective immediately:
• Public gatherings of more than 25 people in one room are prohibited except where two-metre distancing between people can be maintained; workplace and meeting settings where people are distributed into multiple rooms or buildings; and retail locations (ie. grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations).
• The closure of all nightclubs, bars, lounges and similar facilities. Take out of alcohol or food products so permitted with two metre distancing between customers and the delivery of alcohol or food products.
• In-person classes in all primary and secondary educational institutions both public and private are suspended.
• Visitors to long-term care homes, hospitals, personal care homes, and group homes shall be restricted to family visiting for compassionate reasons.
Mandatory Self-Isolation
• Effective immediately, all persons that have travelled internationally shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from date of arrival back into Canada.
• Health Care workers who have traveled internationally, truckers, rail, airline or other working crews are exempt from this advisory only if they are required to work to maintain essential services, provide emergency health care services and maintain supply chain, and are supervised by Infection, Prevention Control Officers and/or Occupational Health and Safety in the workplace.
• All persons who have been identified by a Medical Health Officer as a close contact of a person or persons with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) shall go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days from the date of last having been exposed to COVID-19.
• All persons who have become symptomatic while on mandatory self-isolation shall call HealthLine 811 and follow HealthLine’s directives.
• All persons who are household members of a person having laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 shall immediately go into mandatory self-isolation, call HealthLine 811 and follow HealthLine’s directives.
Effective March 23, 2020
• The closure of restaurants, food courts, cafeterias, cafes, bistros and similar facilities. Exceptions are take out with two metre distancing between customers during pick-up; drive through food services; delivery of food products; soup kitchens, not-for-profit community and religious kitchens with two metre distancing between tables.
• The closure of all recreational and entertainment facilities including fitness centers, casinos, bingo halls, arenas, curling rinks, swimming pools, galleries, theatres, museums and similar facilities.
• The closure of all personal service facilities including tattooists, hairdressers, barbers, acupuncturists, acupressurists, cosmetologists, electrologists, estheticians, manicurists, pedicurists, suntanning parlours, relaxation masseuses, facilities in which body piercing, bone grafting or scarification services.
• The closure of dental, optometrist, chiropractic, registered massage therapy and podiatry clinics except for non-elective procedures.
• All daycare facilities are limited to maximum of eight children unless they can configure the facility so that a maximum of eight children are kept in room and be in accordance with the Saskatchewan child care guidelines for care.
• All daycares that are co-located with a long-term care or personal care home that meet the above restriction shall be segregated with a private entrance so that there are no shared common areas with the home and no interaction between daycare children and residents of the facility.
At the same time as he made this announcement, the Premier also announced a significant financial support plan for Saskatchewan employers and employees hit by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The financial support plan outlines a number of mechanisms for reducing costs for businesses and individuals, providing support to self-employed individuals not covered by new federal support measures, and establishes a Business Response Team designated to support Saskatchewan businesses during this time of uncertainty.
Self-Isolation Support Program
Administered by the Ministry of Finance, the Self-Isolation Support Program will provide $450 per week, for a maximum of two weeks or $900. The Self-Isolation Support Program is targeted at Saskatchewan residents forced to self-isolate that are not covered by recent federally announced employment insurance programs and other supports. The program is designed to ensure that all Saskatchewan residents are covered by either a federal or provincial program to ensure no one is faced with choosing to work instead of protecting their family and community from COVID-19 by self-isolating.
The program is anticipated to cost a total of $10 million and will mostly benefit self-employed residents of Saskatchewan that meet the following eligibility criteria:
- They have contracted COVID-19 or are showing symptoms;
- They have been in contact with an individual infected with COVID-19;
- They have recently returned from international travel and have been required to self-isolate;
AND
- If they are not eligible for compensation including sick leave, vacation leave from their employer
- If they do not have private insurance covering such disruptions
- If they are not covered by other programs such as federal employment insurance that has been updated.
Three Month PST Remittance Deferral and Audit Suspension
Effective immediately, Saskatchewan businesses who are unable to remit their PST due to cashflow concerns will have relief from penalty and interest charges. Over the course of these three-months; government estimates a potential deferral of up to $750 million in PST collections. Businesses that are unable to file their provincial tax return(s) by the due date may submit a request for relief from penalty and interest charges on the return(s) affected.
At this time, audit program and compliance activities have been suspended to allow businesses time to focus on the health and safety of their customers and staff, reduce impacts to their business operations, and minimize the spread of the virus through reduced audit travel.
Crown Utility Interest Deferral Programs
Earlier this week, government announced a crown utility interest deferral program waving interest on late bill payments for up to six months. Effective immediately, the crown utility interest deferral program is available to all crown utility customers.
Student Loan Repayment Moratorium
Effective immediately, a six-month student loan repayment moratorium has been put in place, mirroring a similar federal provision. This provides individuals with student loans immediate relief, and comes at a $4 million cost to the provincial government.
Changes to Employment Standard Regulations
In addition to changes made to changes to The Saskatchewan Employment Act that introduced a new unpaid public health emergency leave and removed the 13-week employment requirement to access sick leave and the requirement for a doctor’s note to access sick leave, The Employment Standard Regulations have been amended to:
- Ensure that during a public emergency, businesses will not have to provide notice or pay in lieu of notice when they lay-off staff if it is for a period of 12 weeks or less in a 16-week period.
- And if an employer lays off employees periodically for a total of more than 12 weeks in a 16-week period, the employees are considered to be terminated and are entitled to pay instead of notice as outlined in the Act. This will be calculated from the date on which the employee was laid off.
These amendments create a balance for employers and employees where the difficult decision may be made to lay-off employees due to public health emergencies. In this circumstance, employees would have immediate access to new federal employment insurance programs, while keeping employers financially stable to ensure employees have a job to return to.
Business Response Team to be Established
To provide support to Saskatchewan businesses seeking to navigate the uncertain conditions caused by COVID-19, the Government of Saskatchewan will be establishing a single window information webpage for businesses to access information and receive timely updates on provincial support initiatives. This will be complemented by the establishment of a Business Response Team, led by the Ministry of Trade and Export Development, which will work with businesses to identify program supports relevant to particular businesses. Once the Business Response Team has been established, contact information will be communicated to the public, and to local chambers of commerce for dissemination to chamber membership.
“During this time of great uncertainty, it is of the utmost importance that Saskatchewan people know their government is here to provide support,” Moe said. “This plan supports businesses and employees. Most importantly, it supports the opportunity to come back to work when we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis.”
