The same day the federal government is expected to suspend the travel ban temporarily, the Alberta government announced it would end all remaining COVID restrictions, effectively relegating COVID to the status of the common flu.

“Effective June 14 at 11:59 p.m., Alberta will move to Step 3, which includes lifting mandatory masking on public transit and ending mandatory isolation, in common with British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Isolation will remain recommended for those with symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test,” a news release from the Alberta government reads.

Additionally, according to the news release, as of midnight tonight, mandatory quarantining will become a recommendation only.

However, the government says they plan to prepare additional measures for flu season in the fall, including “maintaining surveillance and testing programs and preparing to expand acute care surge capacity.”

This isn’t the first time that the Alberta government downgraded the status of COVID. Last year, on July 28, the government announced it would be ending mandatory isolation and other measures, ensuring that the province remained open for the summer while other provinces locked their citizens down.

Premier Jason Kenney ultimately flip-flopped on this decision, supposedly due to a sudden spike in COVID cases and hospitalizations, which is generally consistent with other respiratory viruses in the colder seasons.

“With strong vaccine uptake, Alberta will gradually bring COVID-19 measures in line with other respiratory viruses to ensure health system capacity for the fall,” read an Alberta government press release.

“Quarantine

for close contacts will shift from mandatory to recommended.” 

Hopefully, after a year of anti-lockdown, anti-mandate protests and one of the largest convoy demonstrations in world history, the Alberta government will stay the course and secure the rights of Albertans and defy federal initiatives to squash civil liberties. Of course, only time will tell.