Alberta's new restrictions came into effect at midnight. Here's what you need to know
Albertans woke up Thursday to new restrictions implemented by the province to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ease the burden on its health system.
Some of the measures Alberta introduced Wednesday evening came into effect hours later at midnight. Here are the rules that are already in effect as of 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 16:
SCHOOLS
Across the province, masks are now mandatory for students in Grades 4 and up, plus all staff and teachers.
Elementary schools are also expected to form cohorts.
There are no restrictions on outdoor activity, nor are physical distancing and masks required during physical activity.
Schools may be exempt from the mandatory mask rule if they implement an "alternate COVID safety plan."
Other indoor activities – like performances or sports – are permitted with two-metre distancing.
WORKPLACES
The province instituted a mandatory work-from-home order on Wednesday for all employees whose physical presence isn't considered necessary for their job.
PRIVATE SOCIAL GATHERINGS
Fully vaccinated Albertans are limited to socializing indoors with one other household up to a maximum of 10 people. Children under 12, who are not eligible for a vaccine, are allowed to participate without restrictions.
The same rules do not apply to Albertans who are eligible for vaccine but not immunized; unvaccinated people are not allowed to attend any indoor social gathering.
Outdoor social gatherings are permitted to a maximum of 200 people and mandated physical distancing.
OUTDOOR EVENTS
Outdoor events are not subject to an audience cap, according to the rules announced Wednesday. However, two metre-distancing is required.
PLACES OF WORSHIP
Starting Thursday, places of worship are limited to host one third of their fire code capacity.
Masks are also mandatory here, as well as physical distancing between households (or two close contacts for people living alone).
OTHER CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES
Similar to the rules applied to indoor school activities, all other children's activities are allowed to continue with distancing, masking where possible, and symptom screening.
Again, minors do not have to wear a mask or distance during physical activity.
Spectator crowds for these events, however, must be capped at one third fire code capacity, and audience members must be masks and distanced from other households.
There are no restrictions on outdoor activities.
Day camps, too, are allowed to continue with physical distancing and masking while indoors. Overnight camps must be cohorted.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police to announce arrests in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist
Police say that arrests have been made in connection with a $20-million gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport one year ago.
Outdated cancer screening guidelines jeopardizing early detection, doctors say
A group of doctors say Canadian cancer screening guidelines set by a national task force are out-of-date and putting people at risk because their cancers aren't detected early enough.
Lululemon unveils first summer kit for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic teams
Lululemon says it is combining function and fashion in its first-ever summer kit for Canada's Olympians and Paralympians.
Canada's health-care crisis was 'decades in the making,' says CMA
The strain placed on Canadian health care during the COVID-19 pandemic shows no sign of abating, and the top official of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is warning that improving the system will be a 'slow process' requiring sustained investment.
'I just started crying': Blue Jays player signs jersey for man in hospital
An Ontario woman says she never expected to be gifted a Blue Jays jersey for her ailing husband when she sat alone at the team’s home opener next to a couple of kind strangers.
Mussolini's wartime bunker opens to the public in Rome
After its last closure in 2021, it has now reopened for guided tours of the air raid shelter and the bunker. The complex now includes a multimedia exhibition about Rome during World War II, air raid systems for civilians, and the series of 51 Allied bombings that pummeled the city between July 1943 and May 1944.
LIVE @ 4 EDT Freeland to present 2024 federal budget, promising billions in new spending
Canadians will learn Tuesday the entirety of the federal Liberal government's new spending plans, and how they intend to pay for them, when Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tables the 2024 federal budget.
B.C. woman facing steep medical bills, uncertain future after Thailand crash
The family of a Victoria, B.C., woman who was seriously injured in an accident in Thailand is pleading for help as medical bills pile up.
Step inside 'The Brain': Northern education tool aims to promote drug safety
An immersive experience inside a massive dome coined 'The Brain' is helping youth learn about brain function and addiction