Alberta Will Officially Start Stage 2 On Friday & Include Parts Of Stage 3

Alberta is officially moving onto the next stage of the relaunch. On Tuesday, June 9, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced that the province will be moving into stage 2 of Alberta's reopening on Friday, June 12. He also said that stage 2 will include activities previously under stage 3. 

In a press conference on Tuesday, the premier said that Alberta has made strides in stopping the spread of COVID-19, even as reopening has expanded and testing has increased across the province. 

"This Friday, June 12, well ahead of schedule, stage 2 of the relaunch will go into effect for the entire province. And several activities that we had planned for stage 3 will now be brought into stage 2," said Kenney. 

The Premier noted that this decision is anchored in science and solid data. The health officials looked at three data sets to make their decision: COVID-19-related hospitalizations, ICU bed occupied by patients with the disease, and the number of active cases. 

According to the Government of Alberta, stage 2 includes the reopening of libraries, massage centres, manicure and tanning salons, movie theatres, community halls, team sports and more. 

The strategy also mentions that outdoor gathering limits can increase to 100 people maximum. 

The additions from Stage 3 will include gyms, recreation centres, nightclubs, festivals and more. 

Kenney said that indoor social gatherings, such as weddings and funerals, can occur with a maximum of 50 people.

Outdoor seated meetings, including weddings, funerals, entertainment events, sports, and conferences, will be able to include as many as 100 people.

The 50% capacity that's currently in place for bars, restaurants, and cafes is being expanded to a limit of 6 people per table. Hygiene rules still have to be followed as usual.

Stage 3 places that can open their doors again starting on June 12 include gyms, pools, arenas, instrumental concerns, casinos, bingo halls, and arcades.

"All of these activities must comply with Alberta's public health guidelines, including physical distancing, frequent cleaning and face-covering when appropriate," said Kenney.

Specific instructions will be given to the business on the government's website in the coming days.

"I'm confident we will approach stage 2 of the relaunch with the same adaptability, responsibility, and resilience," said the premier.