By Shaun Penner

"Open for Summer"

Alberta lays out three-stage plan to ease public health restrictions

May 26, 2021 | 12:25 PM

Premier Jason Kenney says a “fully open” Alberta summer is just around the corner.

That statement came as the Premier laid out the province’s staged path forward plan to easing public health restrictions province-wide, stages which must hit targets of vaccine uptake and declining hospitalizations.

The plan is broken down into three stages, with each stage being implemented two weeks after each target is hit. By Stage 3, all public health restrictions would be lifted two weeks after 70 per cent of Albertans age 12-plus have received at least one dose of vaccine.

Kenney said moving to that stage will be possible quicker, as long as Albertans continue to follow public health measures in the short term and vaccination numbers continue to rise quickly.

“This is the day we have all waited for,” said Kenney. “We now have a clear plan to lift all public health restrictions and get back to normal.

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“So long as Albertans continue to get vaccinated in strong numbers, Alberta will be fully open and back to normal for a truly great Alberta summer.”

With Stage 1’s target of 50 per cent of Albertans aged 12+ having at least one dose of vaccine and hospitalizations sitting below 800 and declining, the province is set to fully move into Stage 1 by Tuesday, June 1.

The following eased-restrictions will come into effect under Stage 1:

• Outdoor social gatherings, with distancing, may increase to up to 10 people. Indoor social gatherings are still not permitted.
• Outdoor patio dining can resume with a maximum of four people per table. Everyone at the table must be members of the same household or for a person living alone, dining parties are limited to two close contacts.
• Outdoor physical, performance and recreational activities are permitted with up to 10 distanced people, for all ages.
• Retail can increase to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy, but establishments must maintain the ability to physically distance.
• Personal and wellness services can reopen, by appointment only.
• Wedding ceremonies may have up to 10 people, including the officiant, bride/groom, witnesses and any photographers/videographers. Receptions remain prohibited.
• Funeral ceremonies may have up to 20 people, not including facility staff, funeral clergy or organizers not considered guests. Receptions remain prohibited.
• Distancing and masking requirements remain in effect.

The province will then move into Stage 2 of the plan two weeks after 60 per cent of Albertans have at least one dose of vaccine and hospitalizations sit below 500 and are declining.

Under that stage:

• Outdoor social gatherings may increase to 20 people, with distancing.
• Wedding ceremonies may occur with up to 20 attendees. Receptions are permitted outdoors only.
• Funeral ceremonies remain unchanged with up to 20 people permitted, not including facility staff, funeral clergy or organizers not considered guests. Receptions are permitted outdoors only.
• Restaurants may seat tables with up to six people, indoors or outdoors. Household-only restrictions would no longer apply.
• Retail capacity increases to one-third of fire code occupancy (must maintain ability to distance).
• Capacity for places of worship increases to one-third of fire code occupancy.
• Gyms and other indoor fitness may open for solo and drop-in activities with three-metre distancing between participants and fitness classes may resume with three-metre distancing.
• Indoor settings may open with up to one-third of fire code occupancy, including indoor recreation centres. This includes arenas, cinemas, theatres, museums, art galleries and libraries.
• Indoor and outdoor youth and adult sports can resume with no restrictions.
• Youth activities, such as day camps and play centres may resume, with restrictions.
• Personal and wellness services can resume walk-in services.
• Post-secondary institutions can resume in-person learning.
• The work-from-home order will be lifted, but is still recommended.
• Outdoor fixed seating facilities (e.g., grandstands) can open with one-third seated capacity.
• Public outdoor gatherings increase to 150 people (e.g. concerts/festivals), with restrictions.
• Distancing and masking requirements remain in effect.

Stage 3 would come into effect when 70 per cent of all Albertans 12 and older have at least one dose of vaccine. All restrictions would be lifted, including the ban on indoor social gatherings. However, isolation requirements for confirmed cases of COVID-19 and some protective measures in continuing care settings would remain.

Kenney said sustained reopening will depend on Albertans getting fully vaccinated with two doses during the summer months.

He added that if required, a reopening step may be paused to respond to COVID-19 transmission trends at regional or provincial levels.

“Thanks to vaccines, we can start moving safely forward,” said Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Deena Hinshaw.

“Please book your vaccine appointment and also keep following the measures in place for a little while longer. That will protect our communities and this reopening plan.”