June 19th, 2020
The situation around COVID-19 in Calgary is being effectively monitored, controlled and treated by the Public Health Agency of Canada and Alberta Health Services. These efforts are in collaboration with the World Health Organization and other international partners as new information around COVID-19 becomes available.
Our focus needs to be on taking care of our health and each other. We have compiled resources for up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 and how to take the necessary precautions, as well as how COVID-19 is impacting Calgary businesses and experiences.
What can Open With Restrictions in Phase 2
Phase 2 will allow additional businesses and services to reopen and resume operations starting June 12 with 2 metre physical distancing requirements and other public health guidelines in place.
Business operators, sport and recreation services can determine if they are ready to open and ensure all guidance for workplaces is met.
- K-12 schools, for requested diploma exams and summer school, following guidance
- libraries
- more surgeries
- wellness services such as massage, acupuncture and reflexology
- personal services (esthetics, cosmetics skin and body treatments, manicures, pedicures, waxing, facial treatments, artificial tanning)
- movie theatres and theatres
- community halls
- team sports
- indoor recreation, fitness and sports, including gyms and arenas
- pools for leisure swimming
- VLTs in restaurants and bars
- bingo halls and casinos (but not table games)
- instrumental concerts
- provincial campgrounds at full capacity
Events and Gatherings can be Larger in Phase 2
- 50 people maximum: indoor social gatherings, including wedding and funeral receptions, and birthday parties
- 100 people maximum: outdoor events and indoor seated/audience events, including wedding and funeral ceremonies
- No cap on the number of people (with public health measures in place):
- worship gatherings
- restaurant, cafes, lounges and bars
- casinos
- bingo halls
- More flexibility for ‘cohort’ groups – small groups of people whose members do not always keep 2 metres apart:
- a household can increase its close interactions with other households to a maximum of 15 people
- performers can have a cohort of up to 50 people (cast members or performers)
- sports teams can play in region-only cohorts of up to 50 players (mini leagues)
- people could be part of a sports/performing and household cohort.
Still not Approved in Phase 2
- social gatherings that exceed above listed maximums
- regular in-school classes for kindergarten to Grade 12. Classes will resume September 2020
- vocal concerts (as singing carries a higher risk of transmission)
- major festivals and concerts, large conferences, trade shows and events (as these are non-seated social events and/or vocal concerts)
- nightclubs
- amusement parks
- hookah lounges (permitted for food and drink only)
- major sporting events and tournaments
- non-essential travel outside the province is not recommended – this won't be lifted until Phase 3 of the relaunch strategy
The success of Phase 2 will determine when Alberta progresses to Phase 3. Factors are active cases, health-care system capacity, hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) cases, and infection rates.
We are committed to keeping this information up-to-date to help travellers make the best possible decisions.
Alberta Provincial Parks Update
The Latest Information you need to know About your Visit to Banff National Park
To help Canadians gain access to the health and wellness benefits that come from being outdoors and in nature, a number of Parks Canada places will be gradually restoring visitor access and services. As of June 1, 2020, visitors are welcomed back to Banff National Park with safety being a priority. Access will be focused on the resumption of autonomous day use of trails, grounds, and other outdoor settings and include the continuation of critical services and the gradual resumption of some key field-based ecological and cultural protection activities.
Park gates are open and payment is required for those who do not have a valid Discovery Pass. Visitors who had Discovery Pass which was valid in March, Parks Canada will automatically extend the expiry date by 4 months to cover the closure period. Parks Canada will not be offering reservable shuttles for the 2020 season including shuttles to Lake O’Hara, Lake Louise and Moraine Lake. All shuttle reservations, including the Lake O’Hara application fee, will be refunded in full.
To ensure the safety of visitors, residents and staff, Parks Canada is taking a phased approach to restoring access to the park. In doing so, physical distancing for the public remains a critical requirement in all areas of the park. While some of the restrictions and closures implemented in the park to date as a result of Covid-19 have been lifted, others will remain in effect at this time.
Businesses in Banff and Lake Louise are reopening every day, but some may function differently than they have in the past.
- Call ahead or check the business' website to confirm they're open, and to what capacity they are operating.
- Plan your outing knowing that businesses may be operating differently. Dining rooms may have less capacity as they implement physical distancing measures.