EDMONTON – That Alberta’s Restrictions Exemption Program could mean unvaccinated workers will serve customers who were asked to prove their full COVID-19 immunization is either a loophole or an oversight, says a University of Alberta professor.

“It must just be part of the kerfuffle surrounding the rollout. I mean, that’s the generous interpretation,” Timothy Caulfield told CTV News Edmonton. Caulfield serves as director of the U of A’s Health Law Institute as well as the Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy.

“The less generous interpretation is that someone actually put their mind to this and still came to this conclusion – because it makes no sense to me at all.”

The Restrictions Exemption Program allows businesses to sidestep most public health measures if they either require a recent negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination from customers.

The exemption program has several exemptions itself: children under 12 who are not eligible for vaccine, essential businesses, and employees of businesses participating in the program – such as workers at restaurants or movie theatres.

“I just don’t think it’s fair to (Albertans) to be coming into these establishments and then to be served by someone who isn’t vaccinated,” Caulfield said.

“It’s a huge loophole in the system.”

When Alberta’s chief medical officer of health was asked about the apparent glitch, Dr. Deena Hinshaw said the program was modelled after other provinces’.

“We noted that there’s no other province that has extended those mandates to employees of affected businesses. So the program in Alberta is consistent with other provincial mandates,” Hinshaw told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.

“Employers may choose to require employees to be immunized; that certainly is something that’s within their rights to do.”

Caulfield said including employees would be the best way to increase vaccine uptake.

American President Joe Biden’s vaccine requirements plan would mandate the COVID-19 shot for federal workers, private employers with more than 100 employees, educators, and most health-care workers. 

EDMONTON – Highway 43 near Lac Ste. Anne was closed in both directions late Friday morning after a crash involving a tanker truck.

Police were called about the scene near the Gunn junction, at Highways 43 and 33 northwest of Edmonton, around 10:20 a.m.

In photos from commuters in the area, flames and heavy smoke were visible.

Mounties said a delivery van and tanker truck crashed, resulting in a fuel oil product fire.

Both drivers were taken by ground ambulance to hospital, although RCMP didn’t yet have details on their condition.

A pump jockey at the Gunn ESSO told CTV News Edmonton he heard several explosions from the scene.

Detours were put in place for both east-west Highway 43 traffic and north-south Highway 33 traffic. Drivers were told to expect delays as oil clean up could take as long as eight hours.

EDMONTON – Families waiting for life-changing procedures at the Stollery Children’s Hospital whose surgeries have been postponed to make more room for increased COVID-19 hospitalizations are worried about the long-term impacts of not receiving treatments when needed.

Thousands of surgeries are now on hold across the province as Alberta Health Services (AHS) shifts health care workers to makeshift COVID-19 wards where the vast majority of patients are unvaccinated.

On Monday, Alberta Health Services (AHS) announced it would postpone 50 per cent of scheduled surgeries and outpatient procedures immediately and only tend to urgent non-elective surgeries, including some cancer and emergent surgeries.

That number continued to increase as the week continued, with 70 per cent of elective surgeries postponed.

Kerry Williamson, AHS spokesperson, told CTV News Edmonton in a statement that the decision to postpone surgeries was not taken lightly.

“By postponing surgeries, we are able to redeploy staff to ICU,” Williamson said. “And, by performing fewer surgeries, we reduce the number of surgical patients who may need ICU care post-operation.”

While there was not an exact number of procedures being postponed, Williamson said AHS is now postponing all non-urgent surgeries that do not have to be done within a three-day window.

“We acknowledge that this has serious and significant impacts on any Albertan who requires surgery and is impacted by this decision,” he added. “Our hearts go out to all of those impacted by the current situation.”

‘JUST SITTING THERE IN LIMBO’

Ten-month-old Gavin Petryk was supposed to be at the Stollery Children’s Hospital right now recovering from a necessary surgery to improve his quality of life.

James Petryk, his father, took two months of paternity leave to stay with Gavin. Now James is in limbo as the family determines its next steps.

“There’s anger and frustration, and a bit of sadness and worry for him,” James said.

Gavin was born with a congenital condition that requires a surgery. That surgery was scheduled for Wednesday morning and as the Petryk family was going through the pre-surgery package explaining where they were to go and what to do before it was postponed – 12 hours before it was to happen.

“They knew there was going to be some cancellations coming up, but they thought there would be two to three days notices for people, not day of, or day before notices,” James said.

While Gavin will likely be okay, James said there still is a possibility of long-term consequences for him missing his procedure.

James Petryk holds his son Gavin who was supposed to undergo a surgical procedure this week at the Stollery (CTV News Edmonton/Touria Izri)

“The negative outcomes, we will learn about them later on in life,” he said. “(The longer we wait) he will be more likely to require subsequent surgeries as he ages.

“We will get through it, but I am just one example. He would’ve had a quick recovery over two weeks. But there’s more drastic surgeries that were cancelled that other people would’ve planned for months and months where people took time off and now they’re just sitting in limbo.”

Liam Bruun had a bone marrow transplant in May. Now his mother Diana Bruun and his family are waiting for him to return to the Stollery for post-operative care.

Liam Bruun had a bone marrow transplant in May. Now his mother Diana Bruun and his family are waiting for him to return to the Stollery for post-operative care (CTV News Edmonton/Touria Izri)

“We’re on the waitlist,” Diana said. “We really do need it to make sure the progression of his disease is slowing down or stopped.”

Liam has MPS1, a lysomal deficiency, where his body doesn’t create an enzyme that breaks down necessary sugars or proteins.

Bruun is expected her second child, who has been diagnosed with the same condition as Liam.

“We’re just asking people to get vaccinated,” she said. “It’s so sad to see people being so mean to each other right now, just over the simplest thing.”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Touria Izri

EDMONTON – In the wake of new provincial restrictions and mere days before a vaccine passport-like system is implemented in Alberta, entrepreneurs are figuring how to play the hand they’ve been dealt. 

“Yeah, the burden is falling again on small business to be the bad guys because our leadership team doesn’t want to do what’s right for all of its constituents and not just the people they’re trying to pander to,” Paul Shufelt, chef and owner of Robert Spencer Hospitality, told CTV News Edmonton. “That’s what’s frustrating, and that’s what’s cruel.”

That was how he described his initial reaction to the Alberta government’s late-Wednesday announcement that something like – but not to be called – a vaccine passport would be brought in by the following week.

Starting Sept. 20, restaurants can either require proof of vaccination or a negative test, or limit dining to outdoor service and end liquor sales by 10 p.m.

Top government and health officials said Alberta’s health system was in crisis, with ICUs nearing 100 per cent capacity.

For Blake MacDonald, president of Orange Theory Fitness, the restrictions and proof of vaccination requirements are still unclear.

“We’ve got tonnes of questions,” MacDonald said. “It’s not 100 per cent clear how it’s expected to be rolled out.”

Shufelt pointed to the Alberta government’s weeks-long rejection a fourth COVID-19 wave posed any serious risk while other provinces planned and brought in vaccine passports.

“Long term, this might be better because I think people will feel more comfortable. But we’ve taken it so far… For weeks, we’ve said everything’s fine and then yesterday: oh no, everything’s not fine, it’s horrible, we’re 10 days away from our hospitals [being] in a critical state. That just sends fear amongst those that have done the right thing,” he said, noting a number of cancellations since Wednesday evening.

“We’re in a position where a couple of things have happened. Number one, we’ve put hospitals, nurses and doctors and those that are sick at risk again… We’ve also really shown no respect for the people that have – the people and the small businesses – that have done the right thing not once, not twice but three times – and now a fourth time are asked to do the right thing again.”

‘DON’T KNOW IF THEY COULD HAVE MADE IT MORE COMPLICATED’

Shufelt’s mixed feelings aren’t unique across the small business sector, said the president and CEO of Alberta Chambers of Commerce.

“I think people breathed a bit of a sigh of relief that there is an option for them to remain open, but I would say there is still major concerns about the enforcement being placed back onto primarily small businesses,” Ken Kobly told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.

“As we saw with masking, that tends to be a very difficult issue and I’m not sure whether the support will be there from bylaw enforcement police if a situation somewhat gets out of hand.”

That’s one of the many questions he and Shufelt have. Also: Do businesses need to inform the government or register which model they will operate under?

And, how can businesses that don’t neatly fit into a category get answers quicker than they did in any of the previous three waves? Food fairs within malls, Kobly offered as an example. Will operators need to ask for vaccine status, assuming that was done at a main entrance?

“When you get into the more detailed questions, the logistical questions, that will be an issue come Monday.”

Both noted the province is giving four days’ time between announcing the vaccine status rules and implementing them on Monday.

“We’re only going to release the MyHealth card on Sept. 19 and we’re going to expect that four million Albertans are going to jump on the website and try to get on there at the same time and download this card so they have it? It’s asinine,” Shufelt said.

“It’s so unclear. I don’t know if they could have made it more complicated.”

The Edmonton Chamber of Commerce also recognized its role in protecting Alberta’s health system, but called for clarity on the rules and a quick development of a mobile QR code.

“Businesses are diverse and there are many questions about how the new program will be applied. The program needs to be relatively simple for business to implement at their various workplaces in order to protect their staff and customers.”

Dr. Deena Hinshaw said businesses do not need to register with the government whether they will ask for vaccine proof and that AHS will conduct audits to track compliance and enforcement. Hinshaw said she believed the “majority” of Albertans will follow the rules.

“When the majority of Albertans pitch together and make sure that we are doing everything we can, we will be successful,” she said. 

EDMONTON – Less than 24 hours after Jason Kenney’s Alberta government announced new restrictions aimed at easing the burden on the province’s healthcare system, municipal leaders are trying to gain clarity on what the new rules will mean for their jurisdictions.

The new measures announced by the province on Wednesday include a proof of vaccination system. One that the government stopped short of calling a “vaccine passport.”

“It’s my own personal frustration,” St. Albert Mayor Cathy Heron said during a special council meeting on Thursday. “If the province had just said ‘passport program across Alberta, any non-essential by Monday,’ then we wouldn’t even be having this meeting today.”

The City of St. Albert will be opting in to the province’s Restrictions Exemptions Program that is set to take effect on Monday, but are still waiting for the new provincial rules to be officially put into writing.

“By imposing this small restriction on our citizens, we open up civic facilities for their use as widely as possible,” said St. Albert Coun. Wes Brodhead.

Meanwhile, just south of St. Albert, Edmonton’s mayor had strong language to share on the provincial government’s recent decision-making.

“I think the performance of the Government of Alberta speaks for itself at this point,” Mayor Don Iveson told reporters. “As an Albertan I’m disappointed.”

Edmonton’s mayor said an earlier implementation of vaccine passports in Alberta would have driven vaccination rates higher. Iveson called the recent loss of life in the province “avoidable,” had more measures been taken sooner.

“I think people are furious that it took so long,” he said. “That’s what I’m hearing from Edmontonians and I share that feeling.” 

“Waiting for it to be a bad enough crisis that people will take it seriously is the sort of repeated pattern of weak leadership that we’ve seen on this in Alberta. And it’s a pattern that’s disrupted a lot of business, created a lot of heartache, put a tremendous stress on our healthcare system, and damaged our economy.”  

Iveson called the province’s wording on proof of vaccination “gymnastics,” saying the Restrictions Exemption Program will result in added responsibilities for small businesses and cities alike.

“The un-passport, such as it is, at least gives us a consistent tool for people to substantiate their status,” he said. 

“But it represents a huge download on organizations like the City of Edmonton and particularly small businesses to now have to administer this and opt in, versus the other jurisdictions that have just taken a clear, consistent and equitable approach.”

In Alberta’s other major city, Iveson’s counterpart was also critical of the Kenney government on Thursday. 

Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi expressed concerns over the murky provincial guidance on enforcement of the new restrictions.

“We can enforce the masks, but we can’t enforce the gathering size,” said Nenshi.

Right now, Calgary peace officers cannot help police or provincial inspectors with enforcing the new restrictions.

“We’re still waiting on more clarity on the orders themselves and what the mechanisms for enforcement will be,” Iveson told CTV News Edmonton. “(The provincial government has) got some work to do to clarify all of that because there is some confusion today.”

Still, Iveson did give the province some credit, saying the new measures are better late than never.

“At least it’s something,” he said. “It’s better than where we were yesterday.”

Members of Strathcona County council will discuss the implications of the new provincial restrictions on its public facilities on Friday.

On Thursday afternoon, Strathcona County Mayor Rod Frank tweeted: “As a result of provincial announcement, we must decide if our facilities will be at one-third capacity with restrictions, or to implement vaccine passports (Restriction Exemption Program).”

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeremy Thompson