Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo declaring State of Local Emergency as local COVID-19 cases rise

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Council also passed a motion urging the provincial and federal governments to hasten vaccine distribution in the RMWB.

Council and Indigenous leaders are also asking for an emergency meeting with Premier Jason Kenney; Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; Alberta’s education and health ministers; AHS leadership; Federal ministers of health, public safety and Indigenous services; and industry partners.

A state of local emergency was first declared by council at the start of the pandemic on March 20, 2020.

Those powers included the authority to close businesses and use public facilities—such as recreation centres or hotels—to deal with the crisis.

It also gave the municipality power to restrict the flow of people into certain areas and declare evacuations.

The municipality also had access to a higher level of procurement for items such as gloves or masks. A chain of command was created if the mayor was unable to physically work.

vmcdermott@postmedia.com