Community Notice – Open Houses: FAQs – September 16, 2021

What sort of information does the Commission plan to share with community members?

We will be sharing background information about the Commission, our teams, the inquiry process, and format. We are still in our investigative phase, which means findings and recommendations will not be shared during the Open Houses. You are welcome to drop in any time during the Open House to gather printed information or to have a conversation with Commission team members.

How is the Commission creating a safe space from a wellness and mental health perspective?

Our Mental Health team is helping to lead the planning and design of our Open Houses to ensure the environment, set up, and the way we share information considers the health and wellness of community members and those who have been affected by the mass casualty. Some examples of this include:

• Preparing a Wellness Room for each Open House in case any attendees need a safe space to step away or talk to someone
• Ensuring a flexible event design so attendees can choose how long to stay and whether they want to engage directly or take information home with them
• Providing different options for community members to provide feedback, whether that is talking to someone directly or leaving anonymous feedback on a comment card instead
• Sharing general information on mental health supports available and members of our team will be present to answer questions

If you or someone you know needs help at any point in the Commission’s process, the Commission’s Mental Health team is here to help by:

• Connecting you directly with mental health services and other support providers
• Sharing information on ways to practice self-care and to self-soothe
• Discussing specific ways to participate that will not cause further harm or can reduce the harms
• Listen to feedback on the resources currently available and/or help find supports
• Offering educational sessions/conversations about the Commission’s work and what to expect in a setting of their choice (i.e. virtual or phone, in their home, at a coffee shop, etc.)

What is the Wellness Room?

The Wellness Room is a separate space within the venue that is intended to provide community members with an opportunity to have a safe, quiet space to spend some time if needed. There will be an opportunity to focus on self-care, and healthy coping strategies. There will be some individual activities to help facilitate self-care such as puzzles and drawing supplies.

Members of the Mental Health team will also be available to provide support to community members feeling overwhelmed or distressed.

What COVID-19 protocols will be in place for the events?

We are monitoring the COVID-19 situation in the province closely and will be following all required provincial protocols. There will be capacity limits in the venues to allow for social distancing, sign-in for contact tracing, regular sanitization, and masks and sanitization supplies available.

Will media be attending the Open Houses?

We know it is important for media to have access to different Commission activities, including Open Houses, so they can provide the public with coverage. We also want to make sure that attendees are comfortable attending and speaking freely with Commission members, so we are asking media to be respectful of people’s comfort and wishes when it comes to filming. Since capacity is limited inside the venues, we are asking members of the media to let us know and arrive early if they are attending.

The purpose of the Open House is to share information and to answer any questions community members may have about the inquiry process. Please note, there will be no evidence or facts shared during these Open Houses and the structure at each event will be the same. The Open Houses are an opportunity for Commission team members to meet with the community members, answer questions and share information about how we are approaching our work.

What are the locations and times?

We have four different locations and times. The information being shared is the same at each location, so we encourage you to attend the one that works best for you. These will not be the only opportunities to engage with the Commission. There will be more public activities in the future. We hope to see you there.

Sunday, September 26

• Location: Debert Hospitality Centre, 130 Ventura Drive, Debert, NS (Please use Hurricane Entrance)
• Time: 6:00PM to 8:00PM

Monday, September 27

• Location: Douglas Street Recreation Centre , 40 Douglas St, Truro, NS
• Time: 11:00AM to 1:00PM

Tuesday, September 28

• Location: Legends Gaming & Convention Centre, 15 Legends Ave, Millbrook, NS
• Time: 1:00PM-3:00PM

Wednesday, September 29

• Location: Wentworth Recreation Centre, 13752 Hwy 4, Wentworth, NS
• Time: 4:30PM to 6:30PM