EDMONTON – Pandemic health restrictions are being loosened in the province as the government aims to have Alberta back to normal in time for summer.
Premier Jason Kenney announced Wednesday that patios and personal care services, like hair and nail salons, will be allowed to reopen on June 1.
“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,” said Kenney.
WATCH: Kenney reveals details about Alberta’s COVID-19 reopening plan
The second stage of Alberta’s reopening plan won’t come for another couple of weeks, with a more broad business reopening that will include dine-in service in restaurants, gyms and fitness centres, movie theatres, and libraries.
Outdoor events, including weddings and funerals, can be increased to 20 people.
Stage 2 begins two weeks after 60 per cent of Albertans have got one vaccine dose. Could hit that mark tomorrow, so Stage 2 could start in mid-June. Also need fewer than 500 people in hospital. Would include reopening of movie theatres, work from home order lifted. pic.twitter.com/TCttZ3utqG
— Tom Ross (@Tommy_Slick) May 26, 2021
Places of worship and retail stores will be able to increase capacity to a third of the fire code capacity. Sports and youth events like summer camps can resume with no restrictions.
Post-secondary classes will be allowed to resume in-person learning.
Also at this stage, Albertans will no longer be expected to work from home, although Health Minister Tyler Shandro said it will still be encouraged.
This phase of the reopening plan will be able to go ahead two weeks after 60 per cent of eligible Albertans have received at least one dose of vaccine and COVID-19 hospitalizations are below 500 and declining.
"What a great day that will be," Kenney says of the start of Stage 3.
— Tom Ross (@Tommy_Slick) May 26, 2021
The UCP expects that the last of the restrictions will be lifted in early July, if at least 70 per cent of Albertans have been given their first COVID-19 shot.
Kenney said the thrid stage of reopening could happen as early as June 28 if Albertans keep getting vaccinated and following COVID-19 restrictions in place.
The premier urged Albertans who’ve been putting off booking a vaccine appointment to book as soon as they can to help the province lift restrictions sooner rather than later.
He says the “open for summer” plan is possible because Albertans have “crushed” a spike in COVID-19 cases and are getting vaccinated.
