Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe speaks at a COVID-19 news update at the Legislative Building in Regina on March 18, 2020.
Michael Bell/The Canadian Press
Saskatchewan has laid out a detailed, comprehensive plan to reopen its economy, the first province in the country to do so.
The plan, laid out in five phases, will start on May 4, with the resumption of non-essential medical procedures, and the reopening of provincial parks, campgrounds and golf courses. About two weeks later, retail businesses and personal services, such as hair salons and massage therapists, will be permitted to open.
From there, the province will gradually ease back on other restrictions as long as COVID-19 infections are kept at bay.
“Some may be concerned [it] is far too soon, that reopening businesses in the coming weeks could increase the spread of COVID-19,” Premier Scott Moe said. “We have to find the middle ground that continues to keep our case numbers low and keep Saskatchewan people safe, while at the same time allowing for businesses to reopen and Saskatchewan people to get back to work.”
Mr. Moe warned that that the process would be slow and that life in his province is unlikely to return to normal any time soon.
The final three phases, which will include reopening restaurants, gyms, daycares and increasing limits on mass gatherings, have no dates attached. The government says the timeline will depend on COVID-19 infections. The plan contemplates maintaining some limits on public gatherings, even in the final phase.
The province plans to increase testing and contact tracing to detect new infections and prevent additional spread.
Saskatchewan has had 331 cases of COVID-19, including four deaths, but the pace of infections has been relatively slow. In recent weeks, the province has added fewer than 10 cases a day and its total per capita infections are well below the Canadian average. Its testing rates are also higher than average.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced medical services, golf courses, dental offices and retail shops will be allowed to open their doors next month.The Canadian Press
A number of governments across Canada are now turning their attention to restarting parts of their economies as early as next month. Prince Edward Island says it will lift some restrictions on May 1, while British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec and New Brunswick have all said they are working on their own plans.
The provinces say they are working with each other and the federal government, though the delicate return to normalcy – or some version of it – is likely to vary across Canada.
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In Saskatchewan, all businesses that are permitted to open will be expected to practise physical distancing and, where that’s not possible, businesses must screen clients and provide staff with personal protective equipment such as masks.
Mr. Moe said provincial governments are in frequent contact but he said there is no problem with them setting their own timelines. He said the COVID-19 situation is dramatically different from province to province and the physical-distancing measures need to match conditions on the ground.
“I don’t think there’s a risk either way with provinces lifting restrictions or looking at how they are going to reopen certain sectors of their economy.
“Every province is at a different stage or in a different situation [in terms of COVID-19 infections], and often those provinces aren’t that far apart.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government is working to co-ordinate provincial plans so that decisions on reopening the economy are based on common guidelines.
“We know that everyone wants to know when this is going to be over,” Mr. Trudeau said during his daily news conference. “But in the coming months, we will be able to loosen a number of the restrictions and rules that we have right now. … Different provinces are in very different postures related to COVID-19 and will be taking decisions that are appropriate for them.”
Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Theresa Tam, said she is working with her provincial counterparts to identify guidelines for easing restrictions. Dr. Tam told reporters Thursday that examples of such guidelines include the capacity to trace individuals who were in contact with an infected person and whether workplaces have plans in place to minimize the spread of infections.
Craig Jenne, an infectious-disease expert who teaches at the University of Calgary, said it makes sense to tailor plans to fit the circumstances in different parts of the country, but he said lack of uniform rules in neighbouring jurisdictions could cause problems.
“These are fluid borders, they are a line on a map but not necessarily a line in day-to-day life,” he said.
“You’ll get people seeking businesses that are open and crossing provincial boundaries. You may also be putting undo pressure on neighbouring jurisdictions to keep up, when their numbers may not support it yet.”
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He said all it takes is a single infection in a long-term care home or in an area that doesn’t have COVID-19 to start an outbreak.
With reports from Bill Curry in Ottawa and The Canadian Press
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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.
