Alberta
Free rapid tests, gathering rules eased slightly for Christmas season, and boosting boosters
Protecting Albertans against the Omicron variant
Alberta is taking immediate actions and clarifying health measures to protect Albertans and the health-care system against the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus.
Expanding rapid testing
Alberta’s rapid testing program is expanding to allow all Albertans to have access to free rapid tests. Test kits of five individual tests will be available at select Alberta Health Services sites and select pharmacies starting Dec. 17. More than 500,000 rapid antigen test kits will initially be available for at-home use. Rapid test kits will also be made available at more schools and for vulnerable populations.
Expanding vaccine boosters
As of Dec. 15, Albertans aged 50 and older and all health-care workers who had their second dose six months ago or longer can book a third dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to increase their protection against the virus. This will make up to 700,000 more Albertans eligible to book boosters.
Ramping up health system capacity
Alberta Health is working with Alberta Health Services on planning to restore intensive care unit surge capacity if Omicron begins to put pressure on the health-care system. Alberta Health is also reviewing policies for health-care worker exposure, infection prevention and control, and visitors to acute/continuing care sites.
Clarifying health measures
Albertans are being asked to observe public health measures over the holidays around social gatherings, masking and personal practices. Indoor social gatherings will remain limited to 10 people. This applies to Albertans aged 18 and over, with no limits on those under 18. Additionally, there will be no limits on number of households and no distinction between vaccine and unvaccinated attendees. With these modest changes, Alberta’s social gathering restrictions remain among the most stringent in Canada.
“We are closely monitoring developments around the Omicron variant and are taking immediate action to protect Albertans and slow the spread in our province. We strongly encourage Albertans to do their part to address the threat of Omicron by getting a booster dose, using rapid tests when appropriate and following Alberta’s public health guidelines.”
“More Albertans are choosing to be vaccinated and following public health measures, which is helping protect Alberta’s health system. However, as with past variants, Omicron has the potential to change the situation quickly. Immediately expanding access to booster doses and offering free rapid testing will allow Albertans to identify infections and protect against them.”
“We are expanding our successful at-home rapid testing program to help parents, students and staff feel even more confident about learning safely in the classroom. It’s another layer of protection, together with vaccines and public health measures, to keep school communities safe.”
“Vaccines remain the most effective tool we have against COVID-19. It is especially important to get the booster dose when eligible with emerging information about third doses being more effective against the Omicron variant. Vaccines give good protection against severe disease and hospitalization but their effectiveness can decrease over time, especially with this new variant. I encourage eligible Albertans to take advantage of the increased protection that third doses offer, even if they have had a previous COVID-19 infection.”
Booster eligibility expansion
Starting Dec. 15, Albertans aged 50 and older and all health-care workers can book a third dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine if they received their second dose at least six months before.
Eligible individuals can book appointments for third doses online with participating pharmacies or AHS by using the Alberta vaccine booking system. Albertans can also call 811, participating pharmacies or participating physicians’ offices.
Albertans who were previously eligible for third doses continue to be able to book their appointments. For information on eligibility, visit alberta.ca/vaccine.
At-home rapid test kits
Starting Dec. 17, Albertans can pick up a free BTNX rapid test kit from 700 select pharmacies in Edmonton, Calgary and Red Deer, and 140 select Alberta Health Services sites in other communities. To find a location, visit alberta.ca/CovidRapidTests. As more tests become available from Health Canada, more locations will be added.
Kits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. To ensure as many Albertans have access as possible, there is a limit of one box of tests within a 14-day period per person. Albertans can pick up one additional box for another person(s) who cannot pick one up themselves provided they have each individual’s health care number.
Each BTNX rapid test kit contains five rapid tests. For maximum benefit, an individual should use two tests each week, 72 hours apart. Tests are of particular benefit for those who have had a recent COVID-19 exposure. Each test kit includes an information sheet with details on how and when to use the test.
These tests are intended for at-home personal use for regular screening in asymptomatic people. Albertans who screen positive on a rapid test or who have COVID-19 symptoms should book a confirmatory PCR test through Alberta Health Services and must isolate for 10 days or until they receive a negative PCR test result.
In-home rapid tests will also be made available to foster families and kinship caregivers with school-aged children.
Albertans who are looking for tests for their workplace are encouraged to access tests through their employers’ rapid test programs. If an employer does not provide tests, Albertans must provide documentation from privately paid tests.
The rapid test kits provided for free through Alberta’s rapid testing programs cannot be used for the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP), which requires privately paid test results.
Additionally, the rapid test kits cannot be used for travel. They do not include appropriate documentation, so Albertans should not attempt to use them for domestic or international travel needs.
School rapid testing program
All K-6 schools on alert status (two or more cases in the last 14 days who were present at school while infectious) can now request rapid test kits. Participation in the program is optional for schools, parents and staff.
Eligible schools can submit a K-6 at-home rapid testing program request form. More information is available online.
To date, more than 90 schools have requested tests for students and staff and more than 35,000 students and staff have accessed rapid tests through this program.
All rapid tests are only for people without COVID-19 symptoms. If an individual has COVID-19 symptoms, they must not use a rapid test. They should stay home, isolate and book a test through Alberta Health Services with the online assessment tool or by calling 811.
Rapid testing program
Rapid tests continue to be available to any public, private or not-for-profit employer or service provider with an approved COVID-19 screening program.
Organizations can continue to apply at alberta.ca/rapidtesting or with their local chamber of commerce.
Social gathering changes
Effective immediately, indoor private social gatherings will no longer be limited to two households. The maximum number of individuals 18 years and older permitted is 10. In addition, there will be no distinction between vaccinated and unvaccinated Albertans.
The temporary state of public health emergency has lapsed. However, all other current public health restrictions remain in effect, including mandatory masking in indoor public places.
Outdoor social gathering capacity remains at 20 people, regardless of vaccination status. Physical distancing between households is required.
Alberta
COWBOY UP! Pierre Poilievre Promises to Fight for Oil and Gas, a Stronger Military and the Interests of Western Canada

Fr0m Energy Now
As Calgarians take a break from the incessant news of tariff threat deadlines and global economic challenges to celebrate the annual Stampede, Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre gave them even more to celebrate.
Poilievre returned to Calgary, his hometown, to outline his plan to amplify the legitimate demands of Western Canada and not only fight for oil and gas, but also fight for the interests of farmers, for low taxes, for decentralization, a stronger military and a smaller federal government.
Speaking at the annual Conservative party BBQ at Heritage Park in Calgary (a place Poilievre often visited on school trips growing up), he was reminded of the challenges his family experienced during the years when Trudeau senior was Prime Minister and the disastrous effect of his economic policies.
“I was born in ’79,” Poilievre said. “and only a few years later, Pierre Elliott Trudeau would attack our province with the National Energy Program. There are still a few that remember it. At the same time, he hammered the entire country with money printing deficits that gave us the worst inflation and interest rates in our history. Our family actually lost our home, and we had to scrimp and save and get help from extended family in order to get our little place in Shaughnessy, which my mother still lives in.”
This very personal story resonated with many in the crowd who are now experiencing an affordability crisis that leaves families struggling and young adults unable to afford their first house or condo. Poilievre said that the experience was a powerful motivator for his entry into politics. He wasted no time in proposing a solution – build alliances with other provinces with mutual interests, and he emphasized the importance of advocating for provincial needs.
“Let’s build an alliance with British Columbians who want to ship liquefied natural gas out of the Pacific Coast to Asia, and with Saskatchewanians, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians who want to develop their oil and gas and aren’t interested in having anyone in Ottawa cap how much they can produce. Let’s build alliances with Manitobans who want to ship oil in the port of Churchill… with Quebec and other provinces that want to decentralize our country and get Ottawa out of our business so that provinces and people can make their own decisions.”
Poilievre heavily criticized the federal government’s spending and policies of the last decade, including the increase in government costs, and he highlighted the negative impact of those policies on economic stability and warned of the dangers of high inflation and debt. He advocated strongly for a free-market economy, advocating for less government intervention, where businesses compete to impress customers rather than impress politicians. He also addressed the decade-long practice of blocking and then subsidizing certain industries. Poilievre referred to a famous quote from Ronald Reagan as the modus operandi of the current federal regime.
“The Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases. If anything moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
The practice of blocking and then subsidizing is merely a ploy to grab power, according to Poilievre, making industry far too reliant on government control.
“By blocking you from doing something and then making you ask the government to help you do it, it makes you reliant. It puts them at the center of all power, and that is their mission…a full government takeover of our economy. There’s a core difference between an economy controlled by the government and one controlled by the free market. Businesses have to clamour to please politicians and bureaucrats. In a free market (which we favour), businesses clamour to impress customers. The idea is to put people in charge of their economic lives by letting them have free exchange of work for wages, product for payment and investment for interest.”
Poilievre also said he plans to oppose any ban on gas-powered vehicles, saying, “You should be in the driver’s seat and have the freedom to decide.” This is in reference to the Trudeau-era plan to ban the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, which the Carney government has said they have no intention to change, even though automakers are indicating that the targets cannot be met. He also intends to oppose the Industrial Carbon tax, Bill C-69 the Impact Assessment Act, Bill C-48 the Oil tanker ban, the proposed emissions cap which will cap energy production, as well as the single-use plastics ban and Bill C-11, also known as the Online Streaming Act and the proposed “Online Harms Act,” also known as Bill C-63. Poilievre closed with rallying thoughts that had a distinctive Western flavour.
“Fighting for these values is never easy. Change, as we’ve seen, is not easy. Nothing worth doing is easy… Making Alberta was hard. Making Canada, the country we love, was even harder. But we don’t back down, and we don’t run away. When things get hard, we dust ourselves off, we get back in the saddle, and we gallop forward to the fight.”
Cowboy up, Mr. Poilievre.
Maureen McCall is an energy professional who writes on issues affecting the energy industry.
Alberta
Alberta and Ontario sign agreements to drive oil and gas pipelines, energy corridors, and repeal investment blocking federal policies

Alberta-Ontario MOUs fuel more pipelines and trade
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Ontario Premier Doug Ford have signed two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) during Premier Ford’s visit to the Calgary Stampede, outlining their commitment to strengthen interprovincial trade, drive major infrastructure development, and grow Canada’s global competitiveness by building new pipelines, rail lines and other energy and trade infrastructure.
The two provinces agree on the need for the federal government to address the underlying conditions that have harmed the energy industry in Canada. This includes significantly amending or repealing the Impact Assessment Act, as well as repealing the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act, Clean Electricity Regulations, the Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap, and all other federal initiatives that discriminately impact the energy sector, as well as sectors such as mining and manufacturing. Taking action will ensure Alberta and Ontario can attract the investment and project partners needed to get shovels in the ground, grow industries and create jobs.
The first MOU focuses on developing strategic trade corridors and energy infrastructure to connect Alberta and Ontario’s oil, gas and critical minerals to global markets. This includes support for new oil and gas pipeline projects, enhanced rail and port infrastructure at sites in James Bay and southern Ontario, as well as end-to-end supply chain development for refining and processing of Alberta’s energy exports. The two provinces will also collaborate on nuclear energy development to help meet growing electricity demands while ensuring reliable and affordable power.
The second MOU outlines Alberta’s commitment to explore prioritizing made-in-Canada vehicle purchases for its government fleet. It also includes a joint commitment to reduce barriers and improve the interprovincial trade of liquor products.
“Alberta and Ontario are joining forces to get shovels in the ground and resources to market. These MOUs are about building pipelines and boosting trade that connects Canadian energy and products to the world, while advocating for the right conditions to get it done. Government must get out of the way, partner with industry and support the projects this country needs to grow. I look forward to working with Premier Doug Ford to unleash the full potential of our economy and build the future that people across Alberta and across the country have been waiting far too long for.”
“In the face of President Trump’s tariffs and ongoing economic uncertainty, Canadians need to work together to build the infrastructure that will diversify our trading partners and end our dependence on the United States. By building pipelines, rail lines and the energy and trade infrastructure that connects our country, we will build a more competitive, more resilient and more self-reliant economy and country. Together, we are building the infrastructure we need to protect Canada, our workers, businesses and communities. Let’s build Canada.”
These agreements build on Alberta and Ontario’s shared commitment to free enterprise, economic growth and nation-building. The provinces will continue engaging with Indigenous partners, industry and other governments to move key projects forward.
“Never before has it been more important for Canada to unite on developing energy infrastructure. Alberta’s oil, natural gas, and know-how will allow Canada to be an energy superpower and that will make all Canadians more prosperous. To do so, we need to continue these important energy infrastructure discussions and have more agreements like this one with Ontario.”
“These MOUs with Ontario build on the work Alberta has already done with Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and the Port of Prince Rupert. We’re proving that by working together, we can get pipelines built, open new rail and port routes, and break down the barriers that hold back opportunities in Canada.”
“Canada’s economy has an opportunity to become stronger thanks to leadership and steps taken by provincial governments like Alberta and Ontario. Removing interprovincial trade barriers, increasing labour mobility and attracting investment are absolutely crucial to Canada’s future economic prosperity.”
Together, Alberta and Ontario are demonstrating the shared benefits and opportunities that result from collaborative partnerships, and what it takes to keep Canada competitive in a changing world.
Quick facts
- Steering committees with Alberta and Ontario government officials will be struck to facilitate work and cooperation under the agreements.
- Alberta and Ontario will work collaboratively to launch a preliminary joint feasibility study in 2025 to help move private sector led investments in rail, pipeline(s) and port(s) projects forward.
- These latest agreements follow an earlier MOU Premiers Danielle Smith and Doug Ford signed on June 1, 2025, to open up trade between the provinces and advance shared priorities within the Canadian federation.
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