Half Capacity Crowds for World Junior Tournament – Alberta to restrict large gatherings to slow Omicron

More boosters, tests and measures to fight Omicron

Alberta’s government is taking further steps to strengthen vaccine protection and testing while bringing in new public health measures to reduce contact between Albertans as Omicron cases continue to grow.

All Albertans aged 18 and older can now book a booster shot, as long as at least five months have passed since their second dose, and Alberta has authorized the purchase of 10 million rapid tests.

New measures that will take effect on Dec. 24 will focus on avoiding super-spreader events by decreasing contacts in large capacity venues and limiting unrestricted activities where there is a high risk of transmission.

Albertans are also being asked to reduce their social contacts by 50 per cent during the holiday season.

New public health measures

The new mandatory measures taking effect at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 24 are:

For venues in the Restrictions Exemption Program – 50 per cent capacity limit at venues that seat more than 1,000 people. For venues with capacity of between 500 and 1,000 occupants, 500 is the limit.
No food or drink consumption in seated audience settings or during intermissions in the above-mentioned venues.
There is no impact on venues under 500.
Maximum table capacity of 10 people in restaurants, pubs and bars. No mingling between tables.
No interactive activities at restaurants, pubs and bars (e.g., dancing, darts and billiards).
Restaurants, pubs and bars must stop liquor service at 11 p.m., and close at 12:30 a.m.

Restrictions continue for both indoor and outdoor social gatherings, weddings, funerals, places of worship and businesses. Albertans should also refrain from workplace social gatherings.

Masking remains mandatory in all indoor public spaces, including in facilities participating in the Restrictions Exemption Program. Masks should fit well and be of high quality. Albertans with risk factors for severe outcomes should wear medical masks in settings with those outside of their household.

COVID-19 boosters

All Albertans aged 18 and older who received their second COVID-19 vaccine at least five months ago can now book a third dose.

Albertans are encouraged to take the first mRNA vaccine available to them for a third dose. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines offer a high level of protection against COVID-19, particularly against severe outcomes.

Pfizer will be offered to Albertans 18 to 29 years of age for booster purposes as a cautionary measure. While there is an increased risk of myocarditis in younger Albertans, especially in males, from Moderna, individuals are much more likely to experience myocarditis from COVID-19 infection than the vaccine.

All Albertans aged 18 and older can book appointments for third doses online with participating pharmacies or AHS by using the Alberta vaccine booking system or by calling AHS at 811.

At-home rapid test kits

In addition to ongoing orders for rapid tests from the Government of Canada, Alberta’s government will directly purchase up to 10 million rapid tests for anticipated delivery in January, allowing Albertans to secure immediate supplies.

More than 2.5 million rapid tests, or 500,000 rapid test kits, have already been made available to Albertans in the broad rollout that began on Dec 17. Additional supplies have been received from the federal government and are being shipped to participating AHS and pharmacy locations. If you have not already picked up your kit, visit alberta.ca/CovidRapidTests to find the location nearest you with available stock, as many locations still have supplies available.

“While these new measures will hopefully lower the risk at large events, our small everyday actions can have a big impact. This is why I appeal to all Albertans to reduce their number of contacts by half over the coming weeks, follow the guidelines already in place, and get the vaccine booster as soon as they are eligible. It’s the single most important thing anybody can do right now to protect themselves from Omicron.”

Jason Kenney, Premier

“These new measures, along with more boosters and rapid test availability, will help slow the spread of COVID-19. These efforts are critical as work continues to prepare our health-care system for potential challenges from the Omicron variant. I know Albertans are tired of the pandemic, but we need to take what we have learned from previous waves and urgently apply it to our current situation.”

Jason Copping, Minister of Health

“Now more than ever, it is important for Albertans to follow public health measures and consider how their actions may affect others. While we are still learning about Omicron, we do know that it is highly transmissible – cases are currently doubling in a matter of days. Reducing contacts will not only slow the spread of Omicron, but it can help us gain valuable time to prepare for what is to come.”

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, chief medical officer of health

Related Topics:#AlbertaCOVIDRestrictions #AlbertaOmicronRestrictions #AtHomeRabidTestKits #VaccineBoosters feature

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Edmonton and Red Deer to Host 2027 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship

Published on November 18, 2025

Todayville

News release from the Red Deer Rebels and Hockey Canada

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) and International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), has announced that the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship will be played in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, from Dec. 26, 2026 to Jan. 5, 2027.

The successful bid represents a partnership between OEG Sports & Entertainment, the Red Deer Rebels, Hockey Alberta, the Cities of Edmonton and Red Deer, and the Province of Alberta, which made an $11 million commitment in February 2024 to host events in communities throughout the province.

“We are excited to bring the IIHF World Junior Championship back to Edmonton and Red Deer, and to give hockey fans in Alberta and across the country the opportunity to watch the top under-20 players compete for a gold medal right here in Canada,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact with Hockey Canada. “Both cities have been successful hosts of IIHF and other high-profile international events, and we know our partners in Edmonton and Red Deer will host a world-class event for players, teams, fans and volunteers alike.”

The 18,500-seat Rogers Place, home of the National Hockey League’s Edmonton Oilers and Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings, will serve as the primary competition venue and host 17 games, including both semifinals and the medal games. The additional 14 games are set for the 7,050-seat Marchant Crane Centrium, home of the WHL’s Red Deer Rebels.

“Alberta is ready to welcome visitors from around the world for the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship,” said Andrew Boitchenko, minister of tourism and sport for Alberta. “This event celebrates the spirit of international competition and our province’s passion for hockey, while showcasing Alberta as a world-class destination for sporting events.”

“Edmonton is thrilled to co-host the IIHF World Junior Championship. This tournament is a fantastic opportunity to watch the world’s best junior hockey players right here in our community, showcasing emerging talent and inspiring a new generation of athletes,” said Andrew Knack, mayor of Edmonton. “Hosting world-calibre events like this also injects vital tourism dollars into our local economy, boosts our city’s vibrancy, and solidifies Edmonton’s reputation as a premiere sports tourism destination.”

Edmonton last hosted the IIHF World Junior Championship in August 2022, which was rescheduled from its traditional winter slot due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The gold medal game at the 2022 event was an instant classic, with Mason McTavish making a game-saving play in overtime and Kent Johnson netting the game-winner just over a minute later to give Canada its 19th World Juniors gold medal. The city also hosted in 2021 without fans, and was a co-host with Calgary for the 2012 edition of the event. Red Deer was a co-host for the cancelled 2022 World Juniors, and first hosted the annual under-20 tournament in 1995.

“We are proud to welcome the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship back to our region,” said Jesse Smith, chief executive officer of Tourism Red Deer. “Red Deer’s love for the game and our hospitality will ensure an unforgettable experience for every athlete and fan.”

“The World Juniors give Edmonton an extraordinary opportunity to showcase our city on the world stage,” said Arlindo Gomes, vice-president of business development and venues management with Explore Edmonton. “This event strengthens our global reputation as a premier international sport destination while delivering more than $90 million in total economic impact to our community and inspiring the next generation of hockey players and fans. Edmonton loves hockey and we cannot wait to welcome global athletes and fans.”

Pre-tournament games for the 2027 World Juniors are expected to take place throughout Alberta, allowing fans across the province to watch the best junior hockey players from 10 countries before the puck officially drops in Edmonton and Red Deer on Boxing Day.

With demand for tickets expected to exceed availability, more information about a priority ticket draw and tournament ticket packages will be announced in the coming months. Fans looking to receive updates about the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship as soon as they become available can sign up to become a Hockey Canada Insider today.

“On behalf of all of us at OEG Sports & Entertainment, we are proud to once again be hosting the IIHF World Junior Championship and the best young stars on the planet,” said Stu Ballantyne, president and chief operating officer of Rogers Place and ICE District. “The World Juniors is one of the most celebrated tournaments in hockey, and bringing it back to Edmonton is an honour for our city, our fans and our entire organization. ICE District and Rogers Place were built to facilitate and showcase the very best in sport and entertainment, and we look forward to working closely with Hockey Canada and other partners to deliver an unforgettable experience for the athletes, fans and the global hockey community.”

“We are beyond excited for our fans, partners and community to once again welcome the hockey world to Red Deer,” said Merrick Sutter, senior vice-president of the Red Deer Rebels. “This is a community that loves events, and we know their passion will be on full display once again next December.”

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

Alberta

Sylvan Lake football coach fired for opposing transgender ideology elected to town council

Published on November 18, 2025

Todayville

From LifeSiteNews

By Anthony Murdoch

Taylor ‘Teej’ Johannesson was fired by H.J. Cody High School in Sylvan Lake because he spoke out against gender confusion, but the community rallied to support him.

A Central Alberta high school football coach who was fired for sharing his views opposing transgender ideology on social media has been vindicated by members of his community, who voted him in to be a town councilors.

As reported by LifeSiteNews earlier this year, coach Taylor ‘Teej’ Johannesson was fired by H.J. Cody High School in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, by school principal Alex Lambert because he spoke out against gender-confused youth who “take their hatred of Christians” to another level by committing violent acts against them.

Many in his community, which is located in a traditionally conservative area of Alberta, rallied to support Johannesson and even had a GiveSendGo campaign for him at one point.

Saying of his win, as noted in a Western Standard report, Johannesson described it as being vindicated, noting how his wife told him, “You’re vindicated — the good wins now. God closed one door and opened a bigger one.”

Last month, Alberta had municipal elections province-wide, and Johannesson ran for a seat on the Sylvan Lake town council. After the results were tallied, he won a seat on the council, noting how he ran for office to fight against the creep of the woke agenda on society.

Johannesson said that he ran for the same council four years ago “purely on an anti-vaccine platform,” saying he was “pissed off at the mandates.”

He said he decided to run for town council as a Christian conservative so he could share his pro-family beliefs with people in the town, so “everyone knows who I am and what my beliefs, morals, and values are, so that way, if I get elected, I could just keep being that way.”

He noted how he received a lot of “hate and slander” from many people, including many in the school, because of his beliefs. However, their plan against him backfired.

“That school tried to bury me, and instead they lifted me,” he said, adding that going from fired football coach to town councillor in “two months was pretty good.”

The legal demand letter, which was sent to school officials last week, reads, “Given that Mr. Johannesson’s expression in the TikTok Video was not connected to his volunteer work, the principal and the division have no authority to regulate his speech and punish him by the Termination decision, which is ultra vires (“beyond the powers.)”

Teej has been in trouble before with the school administration. About three years ago, he was called in to see school officials for posting on Twitter a biological fact that “Boys have a penis. Girls have a vagina.”