EDITOR’S NOTE: A government news release said golf courses would be allowed to open on Monday but a government spokesperson later clarified that golf courses could open on Saturday. This story has been updated to reflect the new information.
The mayors of Alberta’s two largest cities reacted swiftly and positively after Premier Jason Kenney announced a detailed plan to restart the province’s economy amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday.
“While we remain in the response phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are pleased to see the province’s plans for relaunch,” Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson said in a news release.
“As public health and economic restrictions are gradually relaxed, we will carefully assess our own approach for Edmonton’s relaunch.”
“I believe the premier talked a little bit about face coverings today and how we each need to take individual responsibility, that’s important.’
Kenney announced that some changes are coming as early as Saturday as the province will allow golf courses to open as long as their pro shops and clubhouses stay closed. On Monday, non-emergency surgeries can resume and dentists, social workers and physiotherapists can go back to work.
But the first significant date for the first stage of reopening some businesses is tentatively set for May 14.
“While the relaunch plan gives us hope for the future, it’s important to remember that this transition won’t be linear and could last for months,” said Adam Laughlin, Edmonton’s interim city manager.
“We expect to be flexible and adaptive as we refine our approach to ensure public safety.”
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2:36 City of Edmonton renews local state of emergency, plans for reopening
City of Edmonton renews local state of emergency, plans for reopening
The City of Edmonton said with the Alberta government announcing its relaunch plan, it will now be reviewing its own response to the pandemic “to ensure that Edmonton continues to strike the right balance between public safety and civic life.”
On Thursday, Edmonton extended its local state of emergency over the novel coronavirus for another week. The city will re-evaluate that once more information becomes available from the province before the next emergency advisory committee meeting on May 7.
Before Kenney announced his relaunch strategy, Nenshi said he believes the response to the pandemic needs to be constantly reassessed.
“My trepidation’s around the fact that we’re not out of this yet,” he said. “You know, we just yesterday had I believe the highest number of new cases in Calgary since the beginning of this.
“We have to understand that it’s the right thing to do to plan. It’s the right thing to do to say, ‘OK, what happens next week? What happens the week after? What happens next month? What happens in September?’”
“The other thing I need to say is remember that faucet can be closed,” he added. “So if we open that faucet and the numbers look bad, I am absolutely prepared to close it again.”
Kenney emphasized Thursday that his relaunch plan hinges on Albertans continuing to be vigilant about following public health orders and recommendations.
1:53 Calgary mayor, business community react to Alberta’s relaunch plans
TORONTO – Strength in the base metal and technology sectors helped Canada’s main stock index gain almost 100 points on Friday, while U.S. stock markets also climbed higher.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 93.51 points at 23,568.65.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 297.01 points at 41,393.78. The S&P 500 index was up 30.26 points at 5,626.02, while the Nasdaq composite was up 114.30 points at 17,683.98.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.61 cents US compared with 73.58 cents US on Thursday.
The October crude oil contract was down 32 cents at US$68.65 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was down five cents at US$2.31 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$30.10 at US$2,610.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up four cents US$4.24 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, rose 0.4 per cent to $82.7 billion in July.
The increase came as sales in the miscellaneous subsector gained three per cent to reach $10.5 billion in July, helped by strength in the agriculture supplies industry group, which rose 9.2 per cent.
The food, beverage and tobacco subsector added 1.7 per cent to total $15 billion in July.
The personal and household goods subsector fell 2.5 per cent to $12.1 billion.
In volume terms, overall wholesale sales rose 0.5 per cent in July.
Statistics Canada started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade last year, but is excluding the data from monthly analysis until there is enough historical data.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
TORONTO – Canada’s main stock index was up more than 150 points in late-morning trading, helped by strength in the base metal and energy sectors, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 172.18 points at 23,383.35.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 34.99 points at 40,826.72. The S&P 500 index was up 10.56 points at 5,564.69, while the Nasdaq composite was up 74.84 points at 17,470.37.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.55 cents US compared with 73.59 cents US on Wednesday.
The October crude oil contract was up $2.00 at US$69.31 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up five cents at US$2.32 per mmBTU.
The December gold contract was up US$40.00 at US$2,582.40 an ounce and the December copper contract was up six cents at US$4.20 a pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
