By Shaun Penner

COVID-19 in GP

Localized COVID-19 details, effects sought by Grande Prairie City Council

Jan 27, 2021 | 10:59 AM

Grande Prairie City Council has requested Mayor Jackie Clayton to write a letter to local MLAs and appropriate provincial ministers, as they continue to seek more local-specific COVID-19 related information and what the true impact is, and has been, on the community.

The request came after a lengthy conversation with AHS officials at Monday’s city council meeting, after Council had asked for a meeting during its January 11 meeting, after some councillors felt their questions were not sufficiently answered in a letter sent from AHS earlier.

However, having had the chance to speak with officials directly on Monday, Mayor Clayton says the conversation was good to have.

“Council had a great discussion with Alberta Health Services,” said Clayton. “We were able to ask many questions of importance to us, and questions that our residents have been asking us.”

Following that dialogue, though, more information is still needed by council. Information requests that will be detailed in the letter include:

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• Local ICU admissions and local hospital isolation rates
• The number of deaths in Q2, Q3 and Q4 in 2020 versus 2018 and 2019,
• A detailed report on how the deaths are being captured and to get a clear picture of the 2020 suicide and overdose statistics comparative to 2018 and 2019 on mental health and wellness.
• A reopen strategy including milestones for the hospitality, hotel and entertainment business industries, and summer events to be able to open and operate.

Aside from the letter, Council also directed administration to work with local AHS representatives to establish a process for the regular discussion and exchange of relevant information for the foreseeable future, which Clayton says AHS has agreed to.

“AHS has agreed, going forward, to have regular communication. This communication is of great value to council, and our community, and we look forward to consistent, regular communication.”

Clayton also pointed to the need for milestones and benchmarks that need to be reached amid the COVID-19 crisis, so that businesses like restaurants can know when they can expect to reopen, and if summer events can go ahead as planned.

“We’re optimistic that AHS will have information for us in the near future of what the summer will look like,” said Clayton.

“Thing such as the Bear Creek Folk Fest(ival) and Stompede. Our municipalities and our volunteers and our non-profit groups want to know: should they continue planning? Should people book their holidays around this?”

The frequency of communications between council and AHS has not yet been determined, nor has a timeline for when council might receive the information they are seeking.

(With files from Curtis Galbraith, EverythingGP)