Parliamentary Committee Notes: Direction of Minister: Highway Blockade Ban (22-002)

Direction of the Minister under a Declared State of Emergency

(Section 14 of the Emergency Management Act) (22-002)

During the Provincial State of Emergency declared Province-wide on March 22, 2020 by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, having satisfied myself that it is necessary for the protection of property and the health or safety of persons in the Province, and under the authority provided to me in Section 14 of the Emergency Management Act, including specifically under clause (d) to control or prohibit travel to or from an area or on a road, street or highway, I direct as follows:

HIGHWAY BLOCKADE BAN

  1. Effective on and after January 28, 2022, all persons are prohibited from
    1. stopping, parking, or operating a vehicle or putting any item in such a manner as to create or contribute to a partial or complete blockade of the normal flow of vehicle traffic on a road, street or highway in the Province,
    2. participating in, financing, organizing, aiding, encouraging, or supporting an interruption of the normal flow of vehicle traffic at a location on or near Highway 104 in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, or the Nova Scotia- New Brunswick border, or
    3. participating in the stopping or gathering of people along the side of, or in an area on, or near the
      1. Cobequid Pass portion of Highway 104 and the associated access roads and toll plaza,
      2. Highway 104 in Cumberland County, Nova Scotia, or
      3. Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border crossing in support of a 2022 Freedom Convoy, an Atlantic Canada Holds the Line event, or an organized protest intended to interfere with the normal flow of vehicle traffic on a road, street, or highway.
  2. The prohibitions in Section 1 do not apply to
    1. Provincial or municipal workers, or the vehicles used while engaged in sanctioned highway maintenance and repairs, or
    2. law enforcement officers while on duty.

This Direction is in addition to any requirements established in a Medical Officer’s order under the Health Protection Act, and any other Directions issued under the Emergency Management Act.

A failure to comply with this Direction could result in a summary conviction with fines between $3,000 to $10,000 for individuals and between $20,000 to $100,000 for a corporation per incident.

This Direction will remain in place for the duration of the Provincial State of Emergency, including any renewal periods made by the Minister and approved by Governor in Council under Section 19 of the Emergency Management Act, unless it is terminated earlier in writing.

Dated January 28th, 2022

ORIGINAL SIGNED BY:

Honourable John Lohr

Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

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