April 23 COVID-19 Update

Inter-Provincial Travel

We’ve been tracking the status on inter-provincial travel ever since last week when Dr. Roussin instituted a new public health order requiring everyone returning to Manitoba self-isolate for 14 days. At first, it seemed as though there were no exemptions to this for construction workers, but late yesterday we received new information both for workers coming into Manitoba to perform work and for those who have been outside of the province to perform work.

For those coming in to Manitoba to perform work:

Construction workers are allowed to enter Manitoba to perform construction work – but the province has released a bulletin featuring measures they must take to ensure the safety of themselves and others. If you have workers coming in to the province to perform work make sure you’re following the measures which you can find here.

For those with workers going in to other provinces to perform work

As of April 17, anyone returning to Manitoba will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days, or be in violation of the Public Health Order and subject to fines.

An exception to this order was added on April 22, which impacts construction workers:

(f) Manitoba residents who regularly travel outside Manitoba to areas that are close to the Manitoba border to work, access health services or for other essential purposes, including access to their property or business, if they:

(i) are not displaying any symptoms of COVID-19,

(ii) restrict their travel outside Manitoba to the minimum required for the purpose of their visit, and

(iii) limit their use of local services to the minimum required given the circumstances of their visit;

So, construction workers in Manitoba may continue to travel for work as long as they are close to the border, don’t have any symptoms, do not do anything other than work while away, and limit their use of local services while in another province.

MPI Rebates

Jeff Wharton, Provincial Minister of Crown Services, announced this morning that Manitoba Public Insurance would be giving rebates totaling $110 million back to ratepayers due to a surplus resulting from a drop in claims due to COVID-19.

Rebates will be approximately 11% of your premiums, for an average of $140-$160 per policy. Cheques are expected to be in the mail at the end of May or early June.