The Current Situation on Cape Breton Island

Last updated: April 13th, 2021

The global tourism industry is based on interactions with other people. This is especially so on Cape Breton Island where a spirit of hospitality is in our DNA. We love to welcome visitors, but public safety is paramount at this time. As a result, we want to provide you with factual and up-to-date information about the situation on Cape Breton Island.

 As of April 13th, Nova Scotia’s Eastern Zone, which includes Cape Breton, has 5 active cases of Covid-19. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is actively monitoring the current outbreak and working with the World Health Organization along with other international partners.

Covid-19 Gathering Limits

You need to follow gathering limits, unless your group has an exemption identified in the Health Protection Act Order (PDF).

The following gathering restrictions are in place:

• Households can have up to 10 visitors at their home (indoors and outdoors), in addition to the people who live there without social distancing. When your household goes into the community, your household can stay together outdoors without social distancing no matter how many people are in the household.
• Gathering limit for close social groups (indoors and outdoors) – you can form a close social group of up to 10 people without social distancing; you should try to keep this group consistent.
• Indoor gathering limit with social distancing for events and activities hosted by a recognized business or organization – 50% of the venue’s capacity up to 100 people maximum indoors (including spectators of sports and performing arts). Events and activities include:
  • arts and culture events
  • sports (recreational, amateur and professional), recreational and physical activity events
  • festivals
  • special events
  • social events
  • faith gatherings, weddings and funerals (including receptions and visitation)
  • bingo, darts and other activities hosted by unlicensed establishments and organized clubs following the Guidelines for Games and activities in licensed establishments (PDF)

  Licensed establishments can host bingo, darts and other activities following their sector plan and the Guidelines for Games and activities in licensed establishments (PDF).

  Audience members and spectators can only be permitted if the business or organization has an approved gathering plan that follows Guidelines for Venues and Facilities (PDF) and COVID-19 Prevention Guide for Events, Theatres and Performance Venues (PDF).

• Outdoor gathering limit with social distancing for events and activities hosted by a recognized business or organization – 150 people maximum outdoors (including spectators of sports and performing arts). Events and activities include:
  • arts and culture events
  • sports (recreational, amateur and professional), recreational and physical activity events
  • festivals
  • special events
  • social events
  • faith gatherings, weddings and funerals (including receptions and visitation)
  • bingo, darts and other activities hosted by unlicensed establishments and organized clubs following the Guidelines for Games and activities in licensed establishments (PDF)
  • Licensed establishments can host bingo, darts and other activities following their sector plan and the Guidelines for Games and activities in licensed establishments (PDF).Audience members and spectators can only be permitted if the business or organization has an approved gathering plan that follows Guidelines for Venues and Facilities (PDF) and COVID-19 Prevention Guide for Events, Theatres and Performance Venues (PDF).Outdoor gathering limit with social distancing for events and activities hosted by a recognized business or organization – 150 people maximum outdoors (including spectators of sports and performing arts). Events and activities include:
    • arts and culture events
    • sports (recreational, amateur and professional), recreational and physical activity events
    • festivals
    • special events
    • social events
    • faith gatherings, weddings and funerals (including receptions and visitation)
    • bingo, darts and other activities hosted by unlicensed establishments and organized clubs following the Guidelines for Games and activities in licensed establishments (PDF)

    Licensed establishments can host bingo, darts and other activities following their sector plan and the Guidelines for Games and activities in licensed establishments (PDF).

    Audience members and spectators can only be permitted if the business or organization has an approved gathering plan that follows Guidelines for Venues and Facilities (PDF) and COVID-19 Prevention Guide for Events, Theatres and Performance Venues (PDF).

• Recognized businesses and organizations hosting events and activities can have multiple groups of up to 100 people in each group if:
  • each group follows indoor and outdoor gathering limits for events and activities hosted by a recognized business or organization
  • the facility accommodates separate entrance and exit, concessions and washrooms for each group
  • the facility makes sure people in attendance follow social distancing guidelines
  • the facility has received Public Health approval of its Workplace COVID-19 Prevention Plan
• Scotiabank Centre (Halifax) and Centre 200 (Sydney) can host events with multiple groups of up to 150 people.
• Gathering limit without social distancing for participants and officials in organized performing arts and sports – participants and officials in performing arts and sports (recreational, amateur and professional) can gather in groups of up to 75 people without social distancing for rehearsals, performances, practices and games within their regular competitive schedule.
• Gathering limit for businesses and organizations that can’t maintain a physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) because their physical space is too small – 10 customers or clients maximum without social distancing (keep as much social distancing as possible).
• Gathering limit with social distancing for meetings and training (indoor and outdoor) –  150 people maximum outdoors or 50% of the venue’s capacity up to 100 people maximum indoors when meetings and training are hosted by a recognized business or organization, including:
  • provincial and municipal governments
  • private businesses and organizations
  • first responder organizations (emergency first responders are exempt from social distancing when necessary)
  • mental health and addictions support groups
  • organized clubs (meetings can follow Guidelines for Return to Day Camp (PDF 525 kB) to have groups with up to 15 people in each group without maintaining a physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet); different groups of 15 must maintain physical distance)

There is Support for the Tourism Industry

There have been a number of programs established by all levels of government to assist  Tourism businesses during these unprecedented times, including the following:

Reopening & Adjustments

Highly Affected Sectors Credit Availability Program (HASCAP) Guarantee

Businesses heavily impacted by COVID-19 can access guaranteed, low-interest loans of $25,000 to $1 million to cover operational cash flow needs. These loans are for small and medium-sized businesses that have seen their revenues decrease by 50% or more as a result of COVID-19. For more information please click here. 

Preparing

As more businesses, organizations, services, and public spaces reopen or adjust their operations, we need to work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and help keep everyone safe. Learn more about how businesses and organizations need to prepare for reopening.

Businesses, organizations, and health professions that were required to close under the Health Protection Act Order can reopen if they follow the Health Protection Act Order and their sector-specific plans. They also need to have a Workplace COVID-19 Prevention Plan. Plans need to show how the sector will comply with the Health Protection Act Order and public health directives (including social distancing) and ensure the safety of employees and customers. Sector associations representing businesses and organizations that were required to close need to submit their plans to the government for approval (send plans to nseconomy@novascotia.ca).

Businesses and organizations that weren’t required to close under the Health Protection Act Order should develop a Workplace COVID-19 Prevention Plan to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Sector associations need to share their plans with the businesses and organizations in their sector. Businesses and organizations should contact their association to learn what they need to do to reopen safely. Employers and employees need to work together to prevent the spread of COVID-19, protect their customers, and keep each other safe. Employers need to make sure that employees are aware of employment rules and resources. Businesses and organizations must continue to follow the Health Protection Act Order and their sector-specific plans after they open.

Destination Cape Breton hosted our Reopening Strategy Webinar on June 11, 2020, which included some next steps for tourism operators, an overview of our Reopening strategy, and some Q&A.  If you were unable to attend the webinar, please feel free to review it at the link below.

WATCH NOW

Update Your Listings

We recommend updating your business, package/experience, and event listings on novascotia.com (which feeds to visitcapebreton.com) to communicate any operational changes related to COVID-19, to help visitors with their trip planning.  For more information click here.

You should update your own website and social channels as well.