Listen Live
Listen Live

Lethbridge will have to make decision if province lifts mask mandate in July

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Wearing face coverings in public places could be history if Alberta hits the targeted vaccination thresholds, but that might not be the case in some municipalities.

As part of the province’s three phase summer reopening plan announced by Premier Jason Kenney on Wednesday, stage 3 would mean no more restrictions and that includes ditching the masks.

If vaccination uptake continues as official expect, it might happen by Canada Day.

That might not be the case in Lethbridge and some other communities however, which have municipal mask bylaws in place.

For Lethbridge, City Council recently voted to extend the face covering bylaw to December 31, 2021. That means if the province lifts the Alberta-wide mask mandate in the weeks ahead, the city bylaw would kick in once again.

Even with that, City Council can bring back a resolution at anytime to revisit the bylaw if needed.

Mayor Chris Spearman was asked about Bylaw 6239 this week and said if it was to be rescinded earlier than the end of this calendar year, it would have to be a collective decision by City Council.

“It depends how comfortable we felt the situation is locally,” Spearman stated Wednesday on a video call with media. “The Premier says he wants one process across the province, but certainly if our numbers are high that would be a concern. So at this point the emphasis is on getting people to get vaccinated.”

The good news though is that Lethbridge new and active case counts have been dropping. In fact, active cases in teh city have fallen more than 60% since early May.

While announcing the province’s summer plans on Wednesday, Premier Kenney said if the province lifts the masking mandate he would “hope cities and municipal councils would follow the province’s lead on this and other respects.”

Mask-wearing, at times has been a very fiery issue through the COVID-19 pandemic across Alberta. Lethbridge was one of the first communities to pass a municipal masking bylaw which first went into effect last August and has been extended a few times since then.

Patrick Siedlecki
Patrick Siedlecki
Pat has been a mainstay in the CJOC News department from the time the station launched in 2007. He's been in the position of News Director since then and has been anchoring daily news casts as well as reporting and working behind the scenes. Community is important to him and keeping CJOC listeners and readers informed about what's happening across southern Alberta and beyond. Pat has been in radio broadcasting for the past 24 years, starting in Port Alberni on Vancouver Island in 1997 and then moving up island to Nanaimo for another few years before heading to Lethbridge in 2007. Pat grew up in the small Saskatchewan farming town of Foam Lake. After high school, he went to Western Academy Broadcasting College (WABC) in Saskatoon prior to moving to the island. Pat also spent several years broadcasting hockey in the BCHL as well as seven years as the radio voice of the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the WHL. Pat has been working at Cornerstone Funeral Home in Lethbridge as a Certified Life Celebrant and Funeral Assistant since 2016. News and sports have always been Pat's passion from the time he was a teenager and he's always been grateful to have had the opportunity to make that part of what's been a fun and long radio career!
- Advertisement -

cjoc Now playing play

ckbd Now playing play

Related Articles

- Advertisement -

Latest News

Single lane road closures to commence Wednesday

Single lane road closures will commence Wednesday and Thursday this week on the Scenic Drive bridge over Whoop-Up Drive, as maintenance work begins. 

Environmental Blitz Day returns, as the City promotes clean and green

There are simple ways to help keep Lethbridge clean and green. 

Lethbridge rent remains among lowest: monthly rent report

Rent in Lethbridge remains among the lowest of the 60 municipalities included in a report looking at rents in June.

Public looking to locate missing 12-year-old

The public is being asked for their help locating a missing 12-year-old. 

Waterton Park singer/songwriter’s ‘Fault Lines,’ includes homage to Alberta living

Kyle Owen’s brand-new solo album Fault Lines “explores emotional vulnerability through a rich blend of raw textures, recorded on old instruments that lend the project a weathered, intimate warmth.” 
- Advertisement -