Banff 
Premier Jason Kenney today announced that the province will remove the Restriction Exemption Program effective midnight today. The announcement came as part of the three-step plan to remove all COVID-19 related public health measures in the province.
Alberta will move to step one beginning Feb. 8 at 11:59 p.m., which includes the removal of the Restrictions Exemption Program and capacity limits on venues under 500 capacity, including libraries and places of worship, and allows for food and beverage consumption in seated audience settings for large events and entertainment venues.
Under Alberta’s Restriction Exemption Program which was introduced last September, businesses were allowed to operate without capacity limits if they checked patrons for government-issued proof of vaccination or a recent negative privately purchased COVID-19 test.
Mandatory masking for children and youth in schools, and for youth aged 12 and under in any setting will end Feb. 13 at 11:59 p.m.
The province says step 2 effective March 1st will see changes to working from home, masking requirements, large venue capacity limits and indoor social gathering limits. The final step will involve removing isolation requirements and COVID-specific measures in continuing care settings.
Kenney announcing the lifting of restrictions said, “The last two years have taken a significant toll on Albertans’ overall health, social and economic well-being. Now that we are through the worst of the fifth wave and have achieved high vaccination rates, it is time to shift to a balanced approach where we are able to live with COVID-19 and return to normal.”
Alberta’s Three-Stage Plan to Easing COVID-19 Measures
Screenshot/YouTube
Step one
Effective Feb. 8 at 11:59 p.m.:
- Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) ends, along with most associated restrictions.
- Entertainment venues will continue to have some specific rules in place:
- Restrictions on sale of food and beverages and consumption while seated in audience settings will be removed.
- Restrictions on closing times, alcohol service, table capacity in restaurants and interactive activities will remain in force.
- For all businesses, venues and facilities – whether they were previously eligible for the REP or not – capacity limits are removed, except for:
- Facilities with capacity of 500 to 1,000, which will be limited to 500.
- Facilities with capacity of 1,000-plus, which will be limited to 50 per cent.
List of Restrictions Effective February 9th
Effective at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 13:
- Masks will no longer be required for all children and youth in schools.
- Masks will no longer be required in any setting for children aged 12 and under.
Screenshot/YouTube
Step two
Effective March 1:
- Any remaining provincial school requirements (including cohorting) will be removed.
- Screening prior to youth activities will no longer be required.
- Capacity limits will be lifted for all venues.
- Limits on social gatherings will be removed.
- Provincial mask mandate will be removed.
- Mandatory work from home removed.
Screenshot/YouTube
During the press conference, Kenney said restrictions on closing times, alcohol service, table capacity in restaurants and interactive activities like billiards will be lifted on March 1st.
Step three
Screenshot/YouTube
To be determined based on hospitalization rates continuing to trend downwards
- COVID-specific measures in continuing care will be removed.
- Mandatory isolation becomes a recommendation only.
Health Minister Jason Copping said, “The vast majority of Albertans are now fully vaccinated. It’s a major factor that now allows us to ease restrictions, but we will do so only as conditions show that our health system’s capacity is recovering. Albertans can help make that possible by getting every vaccine dose they are eligible for.”
Saskatchewan today announced that the province will end all health restrictions by end of February including the indoor mask mandate.
