By Troy Gillard

City updates COVID-19 response

State of local emergency enhances decision making flexibility: Veer

Mar 16, 2020 | 8:59 PM

Red Deer’s Mayor says declaring a state of local emergency gives the city more power and flexibility as officials work to protect the community from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of Red Deer declared a state of local emergency effective 9:20 a.m. Monday.

“We entered that fairly methodically because it allows for swifter decision making and it allows us to engage other tools in the municipality,” Veer said during an update to the community Tuesday night.

“The other component is it allows us to have better tracking on expenses. That’s always an important factors in that (decision). Although, I will say our city staff has done an exceptional job.”

Veer said that during a conference call earlier on Tuesday with mayors from across the province, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney was supportive of municipalities declaring states of local emergency if there is a need to do so.

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“The premier indicated that really was the decision of the different municipalities, recognizing that some municipalities are regional hub communities and have different pressures,” Veer explained. “Municipalities don’t necessarily have the legislative tools or powers that the public would often assume we have. So it simply is a mechanism for us to engage in more responsive decision making across all sectors that we’re responsible for, in the interest of public health and wellness.”

Also on Tuesday, The City of Red Deer elevated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) response to level two.

“What this means is that we have enhanced our hours in our Emergency Operations Centre, and we are bringing on absolutely everyone we need in order to address the critical objectives we have in relation to our community, explained Karen Mann, Emergency Management Coordinator.

Mann says the EOC will continue to work around the clock as they continue working to protect the community, and to provide residents with the information they need.

“We will continue to be guided by the province’s health authorities and officials in taking actions to protect the public and are staff,” she added.

On Sunday, the decision was made to close all city operated recreation and culture facilities to the public.

Other facilities that remain open to the public at this time, but with potentially amended service levels, include City Hall and Professional Building, Sorenson Station and Red Deer Transit service, the Downtown Red Deer RCMP detachment, and cemetery services.

A decision on whether to close these facilities to the public could come on Tuesday.

“The actions we have taken today, and will continue to take, are to protect our citizens and our staff,” said City Manager Allan Seabrooke. “While the situation in Red Deer has remained stable, we believe that as a municipality we have the responsibility to be proactive in the prevention of the spread of COVID-19. We are working hard to maintain essential City services, including but not limited to RCMP, Emergency Services, water and waste water.”

Seabrook says there continues to be no reported or confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Red Deer. There has been two confirmed cases in the AHS Central Zone as a whole.

The City of Red Deer call centre is open daily from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. for residents to make non-emergency inquiries about City services and policies (403-342-8111).

As well, the City has enhanced cleaning and janitorial services in high traffic areas and has instituted a mandatory 14-day isolation period for City employees who are symptomatic and/or have returned from international travel after March 12.