Province relaunches some businesses, services

By Janet Kanters, Editor

The provincial government is gradually allowing reopening of businesses and services in Alberta, effective May 4.

Alberta Health Services resumed some scheduled, non-urgent surgeries May 4, while dental and other health-care workers, such as physiotherapists, speech language pathologists, respiratory therapists, audiologists, social workers, occupational therapists, dietitians and more, were allowed to resume services starting May 4.

Last weekend, access to provincial parks and public lands was re-opened, with vehicle access to parking lots and staging areas in parks and on public lands. As well, some boat launches in provincial parks were reopened on May 1. 

Alberta Parks’ online reservation system for campsites will be available May 14 to book site visits beginning June 1. Group and comfort camping will not be offered, and out-of-province bookings will not be processed.

Private and municipal campgrounds and parks can open with physical distancing restrictions, under their own local authority.

Golf courses were allowed to reopen on May 2, with restrictions including keeping clubhouses and pro shops closed.

The province’s first stage of business and facility re-openings begins on May 14, with clothing, furniture and bookstores, hairstylists and barber shops, museums and art galleries, daycares and out-of-school care with limits on occupancy, cafes and restaurants with no bar service to 50 per cent capacity, and all vendors at farmers markets allowed to start up. 

Still not permitted to take place/open are arts and culture festivals, major sporting events and concerts movie theatres, pools, recreation centres, arenas, spas, gyms and nightclubs.

Visitors to patients at health-care facilities will continue to be limited; there will continue to be no in-school classes for kindergarten to Grade 12 students; and non-essential travel, especially outside the province, is not recommended.

Further relaunch stages of additional businesses and services will include an evaluation and monitoring period to determine if restrictions should be adjusted up or down. Triggers that will inform decisions on the lessening or tightening of restrictions include hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy.