Report into Alberta's initial COVID-19 response to be released by end of the week

Edmonton -

A third-party report into Alberta's response during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic will be released later this week, according to Health Minister Tyler Shandro.

"Given the interest in the report, the full report will be posted earlier than planned in the interest of full transparency," Shandro tweeted. 

• Alberta to hold review of COVID-19 response ahead of possible second wave

The minister was responding to speculation that the report would not be released. 

The province initially said the document would be published in late 2020 but later updated that timeline to early 2021. 

Accounting firm KPMG was awarded a $475,000 contract to complete the report in July 2020.

Opposition New Democrats welcomed the report's impending release but are now also calling for a public inquiry into the government's handling of the pandemic. 

"It is clear that Albertans can no longer trust their own government to keep them safe,” said the NDP deputy leader, Sarah Hoffman. 

At the time it was announced, the province said the investigation will help determine if Alberta is adequately equipped to deal with a second wave of coronavirus, should one occur in Canada.

"A strong, coordinated response can help save lives, prevent wide-scale spread of disease and help jobs and the economy bounce back more quickly," the province said in a release.

The review is expected to look at:

• Health system response
• Economic response
• Governance and decision-making
• Procurement
• Engagement with other governments and stakeholders
• Communications

The government says the review will be similar in nature to the ones performed in response to the 2016 Horse River fire in Fort McMurray, the 2013 floods in southern Alberta and the 2011 Slave Lake fire.

With files from CTV News Calgary's Michael Franklin