Doors to public spaces closed during pandemic set to swing back open

The doors to civic institutions largely shut to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic are set to soon reopen.

The province's legislature, courts and some municipal meetings have either been fully or partially closed to the public attending in-person. All are meant to be open so people can see public business or justice carried out.

Provincially imposed COVID measures are set to be lifted once 75 per cent of eligible New Brunswickers have a second vaccine dose, something that could happen by the end of the month.

Nancy Grant, the province's executive director of court services, said that once the emergency order is lifted, courthouses will essentially revert to February 2020.

"We'll follow, of course, advice or guidelines from the Department of Health or WorkSafe," Grant said in a recent interview.

"But it's most likely it would probably end up being an overnight kind of thing. You know, as soon as masking and physical distancing isn't required, we'll be able to kind of go back to full capacity and the openness of the court."

During the pandemic, courts have been closed to those not required to be in court. Media have been able to continue attending.

That means largely empty courtroom benches that were once packed elbow to elbow on some days. Those now allowed inside must sit on stickers meant to maintain physical distancing.

The New Brunswick Legislaturein Fredericton has been closed to everyone but MLAs, staff and journalists. Some elected members have been sitting in the public gallery to allow for distancing.

Shayne Davies, clerk of the legislature, said if all goes well, they expect to reopen the building to the public later this year.

"We are monitoring the situation, listening to the advice of Public Health and hope, if everything goes smoothly in the coming weeks, to open the Legislative Assembly building to the public later this summer," Davies said in an email.

Municipalities shifted to largely online meetings early in the pandemic, with some still holding various meetings partly or completely online. Over time, many of the council meetings have allowed more and more members of the public to attend as restrictions have eased.

But some meetings, like Moncton's planning advisory committee and the Codiac Regional Policing Authority, have only been taking place virtually. That requires anyone wanting to attend to know how to join and have the technology to be able to participate.

But no information is listed on the city's website about how to join the planning meetings. The police authority has started posting a link to join its online meetings after receiving complaints.

Limited in-person attendance is allowed for council meetings, something that would change with the lifting of provincial rules.

Conrad Landry, Moncton's fire chief and emergency measures co-ordinator overseeing its response to the pandemic, said some changes may remain, such asplexiglass barriers in council chambers.

Landry said it's likely a hybrid option will remain after the pandemic that allows people to attend meetings in person as well as online.

"If this [electronic] platform gets more people to participate, more people to view [meetings], then there's one positive that came out of COVID," Landry said.

The pandemic changes in courthouses have gone beyond just who can attend.

Many court appearances, particularly for early stages when people are in custody, are being held by video conference or sometimes by phone.

It's reduced the amount of people moving between police stations, jails and courthouses. But technical issues have delayed proceedings and frustrated judges.

One person appearing in Moncton court by phone from a jail hung up on the judge, temporarily halting proceedings.

"Anyone who says video conferencing works well has not sat in this courtroom for 15 minutes," provincial court Judge Brigitte Volp said March 10 following issues connecting with someone appearing by video.

Grant said decisions about the continued use of video appearances would be up to each level of the judiciary and working with lawyers.

"Technology has made it possible to reduce these in-person appearances," Grant said. "And so we continue, we hope to continue to reap those benefits on a permanent basis."