Rachel Notley (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Troy Gillard

"it’s a fairly simple thing we can do"

Notley calls for mandatory mask policy for all COVID-19 hot spots in Alberta

Nov 18, 2020 | 1:44 PM

EDMONTON – NDP Leader Rachel Notley is calling on Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and the UCP government to implement a mandatory mask policy for all public indoor spaces in all regions on the province’s enhanced list.

“The number one way we can protect the most vulnerable is to control community spread,” said Notley. “Rural areas and smaller communities are at higher risk of seeing their hospitals and continuing care centres overwhelmed and their economies hurt if we don’t get COVID-19 cases under control.”

Currently 91 of Alberta’s 142 regions are on the enhanced list. Many do not currently have mask policies in place.

“This UCP government has already gone out of their way to undermine health care in rural and remote parts of Alberta. I’m very concerned that if we don’t reduce cases quickly, these centres will be completely overrun,” said Notley. “At the end of the day, it’s a fairly simple thing we can do. Masks reduce community spread and don’t hurt the economy.”

The NDP notes that on Tuesday, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced a mask mandate for all communities in that province over 5,000 residents.

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“We’re not talking about a province-wide policy here,” said Notley. “But we have a list of regions that are at higher risk and we think it makes sense that there be a consistent rule for all those on that list.”