Provincial Services Ready for Y2K

The Nova Scotia government is well on track and in an excellent state of preparedness for the year 2000 transition.

"Essential and mission critical services are substantially ready for the transition now, with the remainder expected to be completed by year end," said Jane Purves, Minister of the Technology and Science Secretariat. "Provincial government departments and agencies have done all that they can reasonably do to ensure readiness. Contingency plans are in place to ensure that provincial government services will be maintained in the unlikely event of a Y2K-related disruption."

Essential services are those which are vital to health and safety. For example, Nova Scotians should not anticipate difficulties in securing emergency and routine medical care during the Y2K transition. The Department of Health has worked closely with the IWK Grace Health Centre, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre, Cape Breton Healthcare Complex, the Nova Scotia Hospital and regional health boards to prepare for Y2K.

The department has also monitored and supported the year 2000 projects of home care agencies and long-term care facilities. These co-operative efforts should help avoid disruptions in health care services.

Community Services clients will receive their social assistance and family benefits cheques as usual. Likewise, government pensioners will receive their cheques at the regular time. Building maintenance for public housing in the province will also be unaffected by Y2K.

Other essential services now ready for the date change include:
policing, supervision in correctional institutions, highway maintenance and regulation, and the integrated mobile radio system which provides the vital communications link between provincial government departments, municipal governments, school boards and the RCMP.

Mission critical services are those necessary for government departments and agencies to meet their legislated mandates. Those services, including financial and administrative, are also Y2K compliant.

"All government departments have contingency plans in place to provide essential services, even in the unlikely event that there are problems associated with the Y2K transition," said Ms. Purves.

For example, the daily cheque production system at the Department of Community Services has been tested and is Y2K compliant. In the unlikely event of a system failure, each Community Services district office will have a cheque production process in place. Cheques will be produced manually and caseworkers will notify clients and arrange to have the cheques delivered or picked up.

Although few problems are anticipated during the Y2K transition, individual Nova Scotians have a responsibility to make reasonable personal preparations. The Emergency Measures Organization advises that people should prepare as they would for any other eventuality, such as major winter storms. Every household should always have enough food and water on hand to last for three days. And, at any time, it is advisable to have candles, matches, transistor radio and extra batteries readily available.

Unless advised otherwise, Nova Scotians should assume that provincial government systems and services are operating as usual throughout Y2K transition weekend. A contingency plan is in place for use in the unlikely event of a province wide emergency.

Additional information on the Nova Scotia government's preparations for Y2K and on emergency preparedness is available by calling 1-800-363-8989, on our government website at www.gov.ns.ca/y2k.