Lethbridge residents and businesses split on potential lifting of Restrictions Exemption

Kenney first singled out municipalities during a Facebook live event on Thursday.

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney stated earlier this week that with the current COVID-19 wave starting to plateau, the province is hoping to remove the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) within the next few weeks.

Following that announcement, Lethbridge East MLA Nathan Neudorf made a statement on Feb.2, saying in part, "that Alberta will begin lifting restrictions very soon, likely within days, starting with the REP."    

This is welcome news for some Lethbridge businesses who've been operating under the REP since Sept.20.

"It will be nice to just kind of go back to allowing everyone to come in and experience the Duke," said Kieran Meeks, General Manager of The Duke Bar & Grill in west Lethbridge.

Meeks says the Duke has seen a drop in business since the REP was introduced, but hopes this will help them turn it around.

"Hopefully we do see an increase in business," he told CTV News.

"Safety and stuff is still in play, of course, but hopefully there is that increase as long as we're being safe."

The Cor Van Raay YMCA, also in west Lethbridge, has been following the exemption program since the start, with the goal of keeping everyone safe and happy.

The Cor Van Raay YMCA, also in west Lethbridge, has been following the exemption program since the start, with the goal of keeping everyone safe and happy.

"We've heard some positives and negatives but, for us, we just want to make sure that everyone coming through this door sees how clean this facility is how safe it is, how welcoming we are and just really providing that positive YMCA experience," said Jasmine Loewen, marketing advisor for the YMCA.

LETHBRIDGE RESIDENTS SPLIT

When it comes to Lethbridge residents, they're split between being excited and cautious about the restrictions potentially lifting.

"I think it's good as long as everything's done safely," said one resident.

"People can self-regulate now, it's been a couple years so I think we should hopefully have it figured out and I think it's a really good idea to start lifting the restrictions."

"Obviously Omicron is still here, COVID is still present, it'll just be the exemption program won't be in effect anymore which makes it a little bit more nerve wracking," said Kathleen Skjenna, a health care worker and member of the YMCA.

Alberta's health experts, who've been seeing the effect of the pandemic first-hand, want to make sure that this easing of restrictions is done under the proper pretenses.

"I would hope that they are driven by evidence, by experts in the scientific field," said Dr. Paul Parks, the President for the Section of Emergency Medicine for the Alberta Medical Association.

"It's important that if we're going to implement them or change them and remove them, that that's driven by science."

Parks, along with Meeks at the Duke, say the last thing they want to see if the restrictions are lifted is anymore flip-flopping by the UCP government.

"Putting it on for a couple weeks and then taking it off prematurely, it just extends the pain and that's what we all worry about, right," Parks told CTV News.

"What we can't handle is the back and forth," said Meeks.

"Full capacity, curfew, no pool tables, it's confusing for the customers, it's frustrating. It's frustrating for the staff to keep introducing these policies."

For more information on the Restrictions Exemption program that is currently in place, you can visit the Government of Alberta's website.