Majority of N.S. Crown corporations following province's vaccine mandate for employees

When Nova Scotia announced Wednesday that provincial civil servantsmust be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the directive did not apply to employees of provincial Crown corporations.

Those entitieshave been left to develop their own policies.

CBC News wrote to 14 of Nova Scotia's15Crown corporationsasking what vaccine policy, if any,they plan to implementfor their employees.

Nova Scotia Power Finance Corp., which ensuresthe guaranteed debt of the former Nova Scotia Power Corp., is discharged, has no staff, and a vaccine policy is not applicable.

Of the 11 corporations that responded, nine said they willbe adopting a vaccine policy in line with the province.

Proof of vaccination by Nov. 30

InnovaCorp, the province's early stage venture capital organization, as well asNova Scotia Business Inc., and theNova Scotia Gaming Corporationsaid they will requiretheir employees to provide proof of double vaccination by Nov.30a policy identical to that of the province.

A spokesperson for PerenniaFood and Agriculture, a development agency supporting the province's agriculture, seafood, food and beverage sectors,said it willdraft a policy that "is in line with the spirit of the province's recent announcement" using itsown governance framework.

Halifax Harbour Bridges will requireemployees to provide proof of vaccination by Oct. 15, according to a spokesperson. Contractors working with the corporation will be required to follow the same protocol.

The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Develop Nova Scotia and theNova Scotia Municipal Finance Corp.,indicated they will be following the province's lead but did not provide a timeline for implementation.

A Nova Scotia Lands spokesperson said the agency isevaluatingprovincial requirements before deciding whether to adopt the same policy or an adapted version.

Kelli MacDonald, director of communicationsfor Tourism Nova Scotia, said the destination marketing organization istransitioning from a Crown corporation to becoming part of the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage and has adopted the province's vaccine mandate.

NSLC still deciding

The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporationis reviewing how the province's mandate will affect the corporation and will provide an update "as more information becomes available," said communications manager Beverley Ware.

The corporation has more than 1,400 employees, according to information on its website.

Staff of two Crown corporations theNova Scotia Farm Loan Board and the Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture Loan Boardare civil servants and will follow the provincialvaccine mandate, spokespersonVickie Birch said in an email.

Board members are appointed by order-in-council, and Birch said they will be working "with our colleagues to understand the requirements for our board members."

Another Crown corporation, theNova Scotia Crop and Livestock Insurance Commission, will take the same approach, spokesperson Maria McCurdysaid in an email.

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