Sports competition allowed again in HRM

Athletes got some surprise good news from the Nova Scotia government on Thursday.

Games and competition are allowed again in Halifax Regional Municipality after a succesful stretch of limiting the spread of COVID-19. The province shut down competition in the city a week ago with the expectation the restriction would stay in place until March 26.

But there are currently just 29 known active cases in the province so they lifted the ban ahead of schedule. The changes take effect on Friday.

“Last week we were worried about increased case numbers in Halifax but what we are seeing this week warrants lifting some restrictions early,” Premier Iain Rankin said in a news release. “I know that restrictions can have a significant impact on businesses but safety is always the first priority, and I want to thank Nova Scotians for following public health advice as that has allowed us to ease them earlier. Thank you for doing your part to keep yourself, your family and your communities safe.”

As part of the changes, games and competition can be played indoors in groups of up to 60 people and spectators will be allowed at approved venues with the same restrictions that were in place prior to the most recent shutdown. Public school gyms will also reopen for community use on Saturday, which is especially significant for minor basketball.

Travel in and out of HRM is also reinstated. This also means games between the Halifax Mooseheads and Cape Breton Eagles will resume.

The Mooseheads host the Charlottetown Islanders on Tuesday and the Eagles on Thursday.

“Thank you to all the Nova Scotians who turned out for testing over the past week,” Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia's chief medical officer of health, said in a news release. “These record numbers helped give us a bigger picture of the virus in HRM and elsewhere in the province. It was critical to this decision.”