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Alberta

Alberta COVID-19 update: Fines. Forming an ‘Isolated Group’ with a second household. Financial relief.

Published

4 years ago

5 minute read

Update 12: COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta (March 25)

Sixty-one additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 419.

Aggressive public health measures continue to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Latest updates

  • Cases have been identified in all zones across the province:
    • 250 cases in the Calgary zone
    • 100 cases in the Edmonton zone
    • 23 cases in the North zone
    • 35 cases in the Central zone
    • 10 cases in the South zone
    • One case where the zone is still under investigation
  • Of these cases, 20 are currently hospitalized of which eight have been admitted to intensive care units (ICU).
  • In total, 24 people have been hospitalized and two patients have died.
  • Up to 33 of the 419 cases may be due to community transmission.
  • A COVID-19 outbreak was confirmed March 24 at the Nelson Home, a Calgary group home for persons with developmental disabilities. A caseworker and two residents have tested positive for COVID-19 and two other residents are symptomatic. All individuals are self-isolating.
  • To date, nine cases have been identified in continuing care facilities, including one case in Rosedale on the Park and two at Shepherd’s Care Kensington Campus, both in the Edmonton zone.
  • The number of confirmed recovered cases remains at three. A longer-term process for determining timely reporting of recovered cases is underway.
  • Aggregate data, showing cases by age range and zone, as well as by local geographical areas, is available online at alberta.ca/covid19statistics.
  • All Albertans need to work together to help prevent the spread and overcome COVID-19.

Enforcement of public health orders

Public health orders will now be enforced by law to protect the health and safety of Albertans. Fines for violating an order have increased to a prescribed fine of $1,000 per occurrence. Courts will also have increased powers to administer fines of up to $100,000 for a first offence and up to $500,000 for a subsequent offence for more serious violations. These new fines will be in force over the coming days.

  • Public health orders will include mandatory self-isolation for travellers returning from outside of Canada for 14 days, plus an additional 10 days from the onset of any symptoms should they occur, whichever is longer.
  • This legal requirement also applies to close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases, as well as to any individual with COVID-19 symptoms, which consist of a cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose, or sore throat.
  • Orders regarding restrictions around mass gatherings, public recreational facilities, private entertainment facilities, and visitations to long-term care and other continuing care facilities are also enforceable, along with any future public health orders.

Emergency isolation supports

Emergency isolation supports are now available for Albertans who are self-isolating or who are the sole caregivers for someone in self-isolation, and have no other source of income. Applicants can view eligibility criteria and apply at alberta.ca.

Community and social services

Funding criteria and forms for the emergency funding to charities, non-profits and civil society organizations are now posted online.

The Emergency Financial Assistance web page now includes information on the federal and provincial supports/programs and a link to the COVID-19 page for more information.

Community and Social Services has suspended in-person service delivery in its program offices and Alberta Supports Centres. Albertans should contact 1-877-644-9992 for more information.

Offers of help

The Alberta Emergency Management Agency Unsolicited Offers Program has been set up in response to growing offers of generosity from individuals and organizations to help with the challenges many Albertans are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those wanting to help can go to alberta.ca/COVID19offersprogram for more information.

Quick facts

  • The most important measures that Albertans can take to prevent respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, is to practise good hygiene.
    • This includes cleaning your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, avoiding touching your face, coughing or sneezing into your elbow or sleeve, disposing of tissues appropriately, and staying home and away from others if you are sick.
  • Anyone who has health concerns or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should complete an online COVID-19 self-assessment.
  • For recommendations on protecting yourself and your community, visit alberta.ca/COVID19.

What you need to know about the Quarantine Act as isolation becomes mandatory for returning travellers

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After 15 years as a TV reporter with Global and CBC and as news director of RDTV in Red Deer, Duane set out on his own 2008 as a visual storyteller. During this period, he became fascinated with a burgeoning online world and how it could better serve local communities. This fascination led to Todayville, launched in 2016.

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Alberta

Official statement from Premier Danielle Smith and Energy Minister Brian Jean on the start-up of the Trans Mountain Pipeline

Published on May 1, 2024

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Alberta is celebrating an important achievement for the energy industry – the start-up of the twinned Trans Mountain pipeline. It’s great news Albertans and Canadians as this will welcome a new era of prosperity and economic growth. The completion of TMX is monumental for Alberta, since this will significantly increase our province’s output. It will triple the capacity of the original pipeline to now carry 890,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Alberta’s oil sands to British Columbia’s Pacific Coast.
We are excited that Canada’s biggest and newest oil pipeline in more than a decade, can now bring oil from Edmonton to tide water in B.C. This will allow us to get our energy resources to Pacific markets, including Washington State and California, and Asian markets like Japan, South Korea, China, and India. Alberta now has new energy customers and tankers with Alberta oil will be unloading in China and India in the next few months.
For Alberta this is a game-changer, the world needs more reliably and sustainably sourced Alberta energy, not less. World demand for oil and gas resources will continue in the decades ahead and the new pipeline expansion will give us the opportunity to meet global energy demands and increase North American and global energy security and help remove the issues of energy poverty in other parts of the world.
Analysts are predicting the price differential on Canadian crude oil will narrow resulting in many millions of extra government revenues, which will help fund important programs like health, education, and social services – the things Albertans rely on. TMX will also result in billions of dollars of economic prosperity for Albertans, Indigenous communities and Canadians and create well-paying jobs throughout Canada.
Our province wants to congratulate the Trans Mountain Corporation for its tenacity to have completed this long awaited and much needed energy infrastructure, and to thank the more than 30,000 dedicated, skilled workers whose efforts made this extraordinary project a reality. The province also wants to thank the Federal Government for seeing this project through. This is a great example of an area where the provincial and federal government can cooperate and work together for the benefit of Albertans and all Canadians.
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Alberta

Protecting the right to vote for Canadian citizens: Minister McIver

Published on May 1, 2024

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Minister of Municipal Affairs Ric McIver issued the following statement in response to Calgary City Council’s vote to extend the right to vote to permanent residents:

“Yesterday, Calgary city council passed a motion advocating for permanent residents to be extended the right to vote in civic elections. Alberta’s government has been clear since the beginning: only Canadian citizens are able to vote in civic elections. That will not be changing.

“The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms affirms the right of every Canadian citizen to vote and to run as a candidate. This right extends to voters in municipal, provincial and federal elections.

“Protecting our democracy is of the utmost importance. Our provincial election legislation, like the Local Authorities Elections Act, has also been clear since its inception that voting is a right of Canadian citizens.

“Alberta’s government is also ensuring that voting is accessible for more Albertans. The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act proposes to enable special ballot access for any voter who requests it, without having to provide any specific reason such as physical disability, absence from the municipality or working for the municipal election. The ministries of Seniors, Community and Social Services and Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction are also making it easier for individuals to obtain the identification Albertans need for a variety of services, including the ability to cast a ballot.

“Our government will continue to protect the integrity of our elections and make sure voting is accessible for all Albertans who are Canadian citizens.”

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