Mayor Gerald Aalbers, seen here in an undated handout photo, said Lloydminster fell through the gaps of both provinces’ laws, but opted to follow Saskatchewan’s reopening plan because that province provides the bulk of health care in the city.HO/The Canadian Press
The City of Lloydminster, which straddles the Alberta-Saskatchewan border, is telling non-essential businesses on both sides of the boundary that they will be able to resume operations when Saskatchewan begins reopening sectors of its economy next month.
The city’s location has forced the local government to sort out which provincial measures, such as physical distancing and business closings, to follow during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is now faced with a similar conundrum as Saskatchewan plans to allow some retailers and personal service businesses, such as barbers and hair salons, to open on May 19 while Alberta has yet to release its own plan.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers said Lloydminster fell through the gaps of both provinces’ laws, but opted to follow Saskatchewan’s reopening plan because that province provides the bulk of health care in the city.
“Since we follow the Saskatchewan Public Health Act, we felt it was in the best interest of the community to stay consistent and to provide one level of government across the city,” Mr. Aalbers said.
Lloydminster is governed by the Lloydminster Charter, which offers guidance about whether Alberta or Saskatchewan law applies.
Alberta declared a public-health emergency on March 17, but Lloydminster falls under Saskatchewan’s public-health legislation, so that didn’t apply. The next day, Saskatchewan declared a broader state of emergency, but since Lloydminster follows Alberta’s emergency management laws, that didn’t apply, either.
It’s not clear yet when Alberta will allow non-essential businesses, as well as non-essential medical services, to reopen or how Alberta’s public-health orders will affect the portion of Lloydminster on the western side of the provincial boundary.
Mr. Aalbers said he informed the Alberta government of the city’s decision. He added that businesses shouldn’t feel pressured to open if they don’t want to.
Mr. Aalbers acknowledged that any gap between the two provinces’ pandemic restrictions could be an issue – in particular for anyone with a professional designation from a provincial regulator, such as dentists and chiropractors. Saskatchewan is allowing most non-essential medical services to resume on May 4.
Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Deena Hinshaw said she couldn’t say how Alberta’s rules would apply to the sections of Lloydminster that are in the province. She said her office would need to examine the legal issues involved.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Alberta expects to outline its relaunch strategy later this week and he expected it to be similar to Saskatchewan’s.
“There won’t be significant gaps between the Alberta and Saskatchewan approach," he said, although he didn’t elaborate.
Craig Jenne, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Calgary, said it makes sense to adapt physical distancing measures to the situation in a local community.
“I think that that’s probably one of the most critical things we have to stress in these reopening plans is not to set a calendar date, and go for it regardless of the situation, but instead to base our decisions on the current state of the virus in our communities,” he said.
Dr. Jenne warned that communities need to be prepared to reinstate physical distancing restrictions in the event of future outbreaks.
Alberta had 4,850 cases and 80 deaths as of Tuesday, while Saskatchewan had 336 cases and five deaths. Both provinces say physical distancing measures have successfully flattened the curve of COVID-19 infections.
Neither province breaks down cases for Lloydminster, although the Alberta government says Vermilion River County, including the Alberta portion of Lloydminster, has had three cases. Saskatchewan’s health authority has identified positive cases in the Lloydminster area, but the city says the current risk is low.
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