The Chestermere Emergency Management Agency (CHEMA) is working with businesses to begin gradually reopening services.
CHEMA began the relaunch strategy on April 24 when restrictions were lifted on lake use activities, the golf course, and the sports fields.
“The CHEMA team has already started working directly with local businesses to provide them with the information they need to reopen gradually, safely, and responsibly while continuing to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Mayor Marshall Chalmers.
“CHEMA is currently working on the immediate considerations for businesses permitted by the province to resume services starting as early as May 4,” he said.
Adding, “This means we’re working directly with the local golf course, local dentist offices, and other general health care related services at this time.”
As Premier Jason Kenney announced on April 30, the provincial reopening strategy was developed with the advice of public health officials and provides a path to gradually lift restrictions.
Lifting restrictions will be achieved by moving though stages of the relaunch strategy while ensuring public health guidelines are followed.
“CHEMA will also be referencing the province’s strategy to continue its own phase reopening for Chestermere,” Chalmers said.
“Please remember that the province has stated they will only progress to stage one as early as May 14, and only once health measures are achieved to the satisfaction of Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health,” he said.
Stage one of Chestermere’s relaunch strategy includes potentially reopening a broader list of businesses and services with safety restrictions.
“As we consider relaxing public health measures, we will evaluate, monitor, and adjust our course as needed,” Chalmers said.
“We may need to step back at times, but we will adjust and move forward together,” he added.
As local businesses and services begin to reopen, enhanced infection protection and control measures will remain in place throughout all stages of the relaunch strategy.
“At a minimum, in order to reopen safely businesses will need to provide increased hand sanitization for customers and ensure physical distancing requirements for at least two metres can be maintained,” Chalmers said.
Where close contact is unavoidable, it will be strongly recommended that non-medical masks be worn for additional protection.
“While people may be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with this pandemic, we must be sure that the sacrifices we’ve already made are not wasted,” Chalmers said.
“To be successful we must be vigilant to slow the spread, follow public health measures, practice physical distancing, good hygiene, and continue acting responsibly,” he said.
He added, public health regulations including limiting public gatherings to no more than 15 people, physical distancing, frequently and vigorous hand washing, restrictions on non-essential travel, and working from home when possible is likely to remain in place for the majority of the spring and summer months.
“Any local relaunch plan will focus on putting safety first while gradually starting to reopen businesses, resuming activities, and getting people back to work,” Chalmers said.
“While we face a long road to recovery there are signs that our collective efforts are helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 and for that, I’d like to say thank you Chestermere,” he said.
