Alberta ends nearly all COVID-19 restrictions and most mask rules starting Tuesday

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Alberta will end nearly all COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday, including most mask rules, Premier Jason Kenney announced Saturday.

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Masks will only be required in some high-risk settings, like on public transit and in Alberta Health Services facilities like hospitals. However, some local masking bylaws remain in effect.

Capacity limits for venues, restrictions on interactive activities, limited liquor service operating hours for bars and restaurants, and screening for youth activities will all be lifted on Tuesday. The remaining rules for schools will also end as will work-from-home mandates.

Kenney, at the official opening of the new Grande Prairie Regional Hospital, told the crowd “the worst of COVID-19 is behind us” in Alberta and other parts of the world. He said pressure on hospitals is easing and promising trends show the province can safely move forward.

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“We just cannot continue to live our lives indefinitely with restrictions on our rights and freedoms and on our normal lives,” he said Saturday. “We are social creatures. We are designed to interact with each other … let us embrace that normalcy as we are able to lift these restrictions safely.”

Kenney said Albertans will need to determine their own risk levels — such as if someone is immunocompromised — since COVID-19 is still here.

“We have to shift to moving the responsibility from the entire society to a much more focused approach based on personal responsibility,” he said.  “We don’t think it’s justifiable now to impose mandates on the entire society, particularly when there’s declining compliance, and we just don’t see the need.”

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No date has been set for Step 3. At that stage, masks wouldn’t be required anywhere and isolating with COVID-19 symptoms wouldn’t be legally mandatory.

Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw was not present at the Saturday event.

Hospitalizations remain high

Alberta’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are declining, but remain higher than the peaks of every previous wave of the pandemic — 1,295 patients with the disease were still in hospital by Friday. The number of those needing intensive care treatment, however, is lower.

But Kenney said declining hospital numbers shows ending vaccine passports and other restrictions earlier this month hasn’t negatively impacted the health-care system.

Asked if he worries the move may be hasty  — Kenney previously conceded he was too optimistic with the 2021 Open For Summer, which led to hospitals being overwhelmed — the premier said this current approach is realistic and other jurisdictions have taken a similar appraoch.

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“I don’t have a crystal ball. We can’t predict with 100 per cent certainty what the future may bring, but what we do know historically from contagious respiratory viruses like this is that typically over time they become less severe,” he said.

Countries like England, Denmark, Norway and Sweden have lifted all COVID-19 restrictions.

Alberta’s reported COVID-19 case numbers are not comparable to previous waves of the pandemic since the province ended widespread PCR testing in December. While Kenney acknowledged the gap in true numbers, he said if transmission of the disease was increasing then the number of people being admitted to hospital for the disease would also be going up.

Kenney also pointed out wastewater data shows the virus in decline or stabilizing in many communities. Scientists involved in the wastewater testing program have said this data is not comparable to PCR testing and is not a replacement.

Article content Edmonton mayor ‘disappointed’

The end to a provincial mandate doesn’t mean Edmontonians can toss out their masks just yet.

Edmonton’s mask bylaw is still in effect indoors for people ages two and up in public places regulated by the city. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said Saturday he doesn’t agree with the province’s approach.

“I’m disappointed to hear that all COVID protections are being removed including masking,” he said in an email. “These protections have helped to keep us safe during an incredibly difficult few years.”

Edmonton’s rules stay in place unless there’s a vote at city hall to change them. Council planned to trigger a review after active cases drop below 100 per 100,000 people for 28 consecutive days.

Kenney and Health Minister Jason Copping were in Grande Prairie for the official opening of the new hospital in the northern Alberta city where they provided the COVID-19 update.

Watch the news conference below

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lboothby@postmedia.com

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