April 2, 2020
The City of Edmonton’s State of Local Emergency has been
extended another seven days as officials continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the situation continues to rapidly evolve, this measure allows the City to respond appropriately to help to protect the health of all Edmontonians.
The City recently announced new Emergency Orders and other administrative measures to continue to improve safety and reduce the risk of COVID-19 exposure, including:
- Imposing new requirements and restrictions on vehicle for hire services, including limits to the number of passengers in a vehicle, enhanced cleaning practices and guidelines around what to do in the event of a potential exposure.
- New actions to ensure dignified treatment of the vulnerable population on transit to allow for better physical distancing and provide social supports as needed
- Increasing security and cleaning on transit to address safety concerns.
Actions at City Dog Parks and Off-leash Areas
Effective Saturday April 4, four fenced dog parks will be closed and users of other off-leash areas must keep their dogs on-leash until further notice. Gates will be locked at four dog parks: Lauderdale, Paisley, Alex Decoteau and Manning Village. Dog owners may continue to use the City’s other 38 areas for dogs as long as they keep their dogs on-leash at all times. Keeping dogs on-leash reduces the potential for owners to have to intervene should their dog approach another dog or individual. This helps dog area users maintain two metre physical distancing, which is now a legal requirement in Edmonton and province-wide.
City of Edmonton Peace Officers are monitoring all dog parks, both open and closed. People who do not keep their dogs on-leash from April 4 until further notice are subject to warnings and fines.
COVID-19 Impacts to City Workers
The City also announced it will start to publicly release data on City of Edmonton employees who are working from home, self isolating and are tested for COVID-19. This data will be available on
edmonton.ca and updated every Friday. There are two City of Edmonton employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 to date.
“There’s not a single individual, business or industry that has not been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Interim City Manager Adam Laughlin. “We will continue to look across the board and listen to concerns from the public to find ways to reduce risks, to increase safety and to provide support.”
The City of Edmonton first declared a State of Local Emergency on Friday, March 20. The State of Local Emergency can be renewed every seven days if it is determined to be necessary. A cancellation of a State of Local Emergency accordingly cancels any Emergency Orders.
