CIty of Calgary COVID-19 update April 6

The City of Calgary continues maintaining essential services during this State of Local Emergency with orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Tom Sampson and Mayor Naheed Nenshi held a media availability earlier today in which they thanked Calgarians for their co-operation during the pandemic and pointed to further community supports and initiatives.

“Calgarians are stepping up to the plate and recalibrating to a new normal,” said Sampson. “We will get to a place where we can once again shake hands and hug our friends. But we are not there yet. We can’t let our foot off the gas.”

Below are the latest updates from today’s media availability

Proactive Patrolling to encourage physical distancing

Calgary Police Service and Community Peace Officers continue to work with all of our partner agencies, including Calgary Fire, to help educate and decrease the impact of COVID-19 on our communities through voluntary compliance. Several public orders and restrictions have been announced, including the closing of some businesses and public areas to allow for greater physical distancing. This includes public gatherings of no more than 15 people and physical distancing requirement of two metres. Community Peace Officers and other uniformed personnel will be proactively patrolling parks and public spaces going forward, with assistance from police when required, to ensure physical distancing requirements are being met. As always, discretion for issuing these tickets will be used. The fine for contravening the Public Health Order is $1,200. Public safety is of the upmost importance and we need to use every tool in our toolbox to flatten the curve.

Spring street sweeping delayed due to weather

The City’s Spring street sweeping program has been delayed due to poor weather conditions. With snow and cooler weather anticipated for much of this week, Roads crews will continue to focus their efforts on snow and ice control operations and we will push back the start of street sweeping until April 20th.There will be further updates to share in the weeks to come.

Community supports

Today, The City is launching a new collection of online resources for kids, youth, seniors and families to help keep their minds and bodies active during this time of physical distancing. Visit calgary.ca/athome for a regularly-updated set of videos, instructions and learning modules for everything from fitness, to crafts and games, to ways to engage with nature.

These online resources are an extension of the 800 activity kits Calgary Neighborhoods has created for low-income families These kits are being safely delivered ensuring that physical distancing and other health protocols are followed. The kits contain booklets of simple guided activities that parents and caregivers can go through with their children.

Calgary Fire drive-by birthdays prove popular

Calgary Fire Dept. is overwhelmed by the support it gets from the community. Since last Friday’s announcement that fire crews would be helping to brighten birthdays for children and seniors who are staying home during their birthdays with fire engine drive-bys, CFD has received more than 5,800 requests for the service. “We are moved that so many Calgarians have shown how they value our firefighters,” said CFD Chief Steve Dongworth. “We are hoping to get to as many of you as possible, but we need some time to get through all the requests. We’re making our way down the list and if your birthday is towards the end of May, then you will hear from us closer to the date.”

Cancelled events

As a follow-up to the announcement that all public events are cancelled through June 30, The City has updated Calgary.ca/covid19 with a list of the 79 events that have been cancelled due to COVID-19.

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