Many Cape Bretoners are likely wondering what a State of Emergency really means.

There is a 15-page Emergency Management Act that explains the details (read it here) but to save you time, we have extracted excerpts that describe the extra powers that the government may exercise over citizens.

Here they are ...

Protection of property and health or safety

14 Upon a state of emergency being declared, the Minister or the mayor or warden, may

• (a) cause an emergency management plan or any part thereof to be implemented;
• (b) acquire or utilize or cause the acquisition or utilization of personal property by confiscation or any means considered necessary;
• (c) authorize or require a qualified person to render aid of such type as that person may be qualified to provide;
• (d) control or prohibit travel to or from an area or on a road, street or highway;
• (e) provide for the maintenance and restoration of essential facilities, the distribution of essential supplies and the maintenance and co-ordination of emergency medical, social and other essential services;
• (f) cause or order the evacuation of persons and the removal of livestock and personal property threatened by an emergency and make arrangements for the adequate care and protection thereof;
• (g) authorize the entry by a person into any building or upon land without warrant;
• (h) cause or order the demolition or removal of any thing where the demolition or removal is necessary or advisable for the purpose of reaching the scene of an emergency, of attempting to forestall its occurrence or of combating its progress;
• (i) order the assistance of persons needed to carry out the provisions mentioned in this Section;
• (j) regulate the distribution and availability of essential goods, services and resources;
• (k) authorize and make emergency payments;
• (l) assess damage to any works, property or undertaking and the costs to repair, replace or restore the same;
• (m) assess damage to the environment and the costs and methods to eliminate or alleviate the damage.

Prices
16 (1) During a state of emergency or a state of local emergency, no person in the Province may charge higher prices for food, clothing, fuel, equipment, medical or other essential supplies or for the use of property, services, resources or equipment than the fair market value of the same thing immediately before the emergency

No liability
21 The Minister, a mayor or warden, a municipality, the Department, a committee established pursuant to this Act or a member thereof, or any other person
(a) is not liable for any damage arising out of any action taken pursuant to this Act or the regulations; and
(b) is not subject to any proceedings by prohibition, certiorari, mandamus or injunction with respect to any action taken pursuant to this Act or the regulations. 

Entry upon property
22 Any person in the course of implementing an emergency management plan pursuant to this Act or the regulations may, at any time, enter upon any property.

Click here to read the full Act 

For the latest news on our local emergency, visit the CBRM website