Roadmap for relaxation of Alberta's COVID-19 restrictions coming next week, says premier

Premier Jason Kenney says a firm date for scrapping Alberta's vaccine passport program and almost all other public health restrictions will be announced next week. 

During a Facebook live broadcast late Thursday, Kenney announced that the government's COVID cabinet committee would meet early next week and then announce a plan for removing all public health restrictions, beginning with the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) in the near future.

"After two years of this, we simply cannot continue to rely on the blunt instrument of damaging restrictions as a primary tool to cope with a disease that will likely be with us for the rest of our lives," he said.

To enter businesses or public facilities where the program is in place, a person must show proof of double vaccination, a privately-paid negative rapid test result taken within the past 72 hours of service, or documentation of a medical exemption.

When asked by a viewer if he could stop municipalities from maintaining public health restrictions, Kenney said that cities and towns can set their own policies, but he's going to look into possibly changing the Municipal Government Act when the legislature resumes sitting if municipal governments plan to enact stronger measures. 

"This is not their normal field of responsibility, they don't have access to the same data we do," Kenney said. "I think that would be a matter of great concern."

Earlier Thursday, Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi released a statement asking the provincial government to keep public health restrictions in place.

He said he's asked administration to look into what measures the city can take if the province does drop its rules.

 "I certainly hope that we don't have to implement our own measures, but we will explore options that are within our authority if we have to. The safety of Edmontonians is our priority," Sohi said.

More than a dozen United Conservative Party (UCP) MLAs had posted social media statements Thursday saying they oppose the REP.

The messaging used by many mirrored key messages sent out by the UCP caucus Thursday morning to all the party's MLAs.

The email, obtained by CBC, outlines approved messaging for MLAs who oppose the restriction exemption program, stating that "questions have been raised" about the program's effectiveness. 

The messages suggest MLAs share the view that two doses of vaccine doesn't slow down viral transmission as much as originally believed, particularly with the omicron variant.

"In other words, the REP has not been particularly effective at limiting the spread of omicron," one point reads.