State of Local Emergency lifted in Calgary as of Monday
The State of Local Emergency (SOLE) is being lifted in Calgary effective Monday, Mayor Naheed Nenshi announced.
The city has been under a State of Local Emergency since November 2020, which was renewed most recently on May 21 for 90 days. With it now lifted, Nenshi said most people won't notice much of a difference. The city's emergency management plan will remain in place, said Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) Chief Sue Henry, to ensure various departments are able to communicate and coordinate effectively.
The use of adaptive roadways (closing down lanes to allow pedestrians and cyclists more room) will remain in place through the summer, and masks will still be mandatory at indoor public places and on transit.
"For citizens, I will encourage you to keep doing what you're doing, wash your hands, wear your mask and get your shot," said Nenshi.
"This is another step in our movement toward a brighter future."
City council is set to debate the city's mask bylaw on Monday and Nenshi said he would like to see the benchmark for removal tied to second doses.
The province has said 68.5 per cent of Albertans age 12 and up have now received a first dose. The province will move to Stage 3 of its reopening plan when it reaches 70 per cent, which will see all provincial health measures removed.
Nenshi said he is also concerned by the outbreak of Delta variant at Foothills hospital, but noted the city will likely remove the mask mandate within weeks of when the province does.
"Ultimately, we're probably talking about a difference of a few weeks at most," he said. "If the province chooses to lift their mask mandate by July 1, let's say, and we choose to keep it in place until we have a higher second dose percentage, if people continue to get their second dose at the rate they're getting them, the difference would probably be a couple weeks."
Nenshi said he would be surprised if the city hasn't lifted the mask mandate "by the end of July."
As the city begins moving back toward a sense of normalcy following the pandemic, Nenshi asked Calgarans to treat each other with kindness.
"People will have different comfort levels on how to move forward," he said.
"Some people are excited about going to the Stampede. Some people will not go to the Stampede this year. Some people cannot wait to rip their mask off, some people are saying, 'I'm going to keep my masks on when I'm in crowded places for the near future,' and it's all OK ... I just want to remind everyone to be kind."
The reason for the lifting of the SOLE, said Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Sue Henry, is because vaccination availability is increasing and hospital rates continue to decline.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.