Today the Government of Alberta announced a phased approach to remove COVID-19 restrictions in Alberta. As your MLA, I offer my full support for this approach.

It is time to learn with COVID.

It is clear that we have passed the peak of Omicron infections and COVID related hospital admissions are now declining. These trends exist globally and other countries including Great Britain, Scotland, Finland, Denmark, South Africa, and others have lifted public health measures. Here in Canada Saskatchewan and Quebec have recently announced their plans to take similar steps.

The first stage begins today at midnight when the Restriction Exemption Program will come to and end.

I want to thank the hundreds of constituents who emailed and called me to express their views whether in favour or against removing restrictions. I have tried to listen carefully, understand your views, and examine the data and realities to ensure I am making an informed decision on your behalf.

Today’s announcement has received my full endorsement and I am pleased to see many positive steps forwarding including the removal of the REP Program. More importantly though, I am pleased to see that masks will no longer be required for our kids in school, effective February 14. Our children have had to endure unprecedented challenges due to this pandemic. Their learning has been disrupted, their social lives have been put on hold and their ability to be kids has been slowed.

The time has come to lift COVID-19 restrictions in Alberta and begin getting back to normal.