New Brunswick loosens COVID-19 restrictions in parts of Zone 4 / Mandates for commercial truckers

COVID-19 Restrictions in Zone 4:

Beginning April 16, 2021, the Grand Falls area of Zone 4 has been moved to the Orange Level in New Brunswick’s COVID-19 protocol.  This is good news for the Grand Falls area as retailers can be open and quick service restaurants can offer on premises seating so long as they follow their COVID-19 operational plans. However, the Edmundston area of Zone 4 will remain in Lockdown for at least another week due to the ongoing challenges with COVID-19 cases. 

As a matter of fairness, RCC continues to press the government to allow the option for all retailers in lockdown to sell ‘non-essential’ retail products via contactless curbside delivery.

A number of retailers have expressed concern for their employees working in Zone 4.  Please note that in response to the ongoing COVID-19 challenges in this Zone, the New Brunswick government has ensured that Zone 4 vaccinations are being conducted at a higher rate than the rest of the province.  For example,

• 25% of New Brunswickers over the age of 16 have received at least once dose of the vaccine.
• 35% of those in Zone 4 (over the age of 16) have received at least their first dose.

New Brunswick Based Commercial Truckers:

The government has also announced new rules, which allow Public Health to:

• Access the Motor Vehicle Act so as to contact New Brunswick based commercial truckers directly and ask / schedule them to get vaccinated.
• Mandate weekly updates from commercial trucking companies concerning,
  • the number of New Brunswick based commercial truckers traveling beyond New Brunswick’s borders.                
  • the number of these commercial truckers who have been vaccinated.

More information regarding this new mandate can be found in Sections 32 and 33 (Page 35) of the mandatory order.  Given the confusing wording in the mandatory order, details regarding this process will be communicated directly to the trucking companies as well as the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association (APTA).

Background

For more details, see the New Brunswick government’s press release. 

Orange Level:

Details surrounding the restrictions involved in the Orange Level can be found here.  

Lockdown:

During lockdown, quick service restaurants are limited to drive-thru, take-out and delivery.  For retailers, only essential products can be sold to customers, in-store.  For instance, mass merchant retailers can only welcome patrons in-store to purchase products deemed ‘essential’.   Curbside pickup is only allowed for essential products.  If a retailer does not sell essential products, home delivery is the only option. 

Details of retail businesses that can be open and the products that can be sold in the Lockdown Level can be found here.  For quick reference, the retail products deemed essential are:

• food,
• medication,
• fuel,
• office equipment and supplies,
• hardware and construction supplies
• vehicle parts,
• IT or telecommunications technology,
• animal and fish feed,
• ANBL and CNB, tobacco retailers,
• dry cleaners,
• food processing and food packing operations,
• bicycle, home and/or appliance repair services.

RCC continues to engage senior officials with the New Brunswick government to push for increased fairness regarding curbside delivery.  RCC spoke today with the Assistant Deputy Minister of Public Health and pointed out that contactless curbside delivery can be performed safely and quickly.  RCC continues to advocate that contactless curbside pickup should be an option for retailers, regardless of the retail product.  RCC will continue to work with the New Brunswick government on this issue and provide updates as required.