COVID-19 Response: Alberta NDP Caucus: Alberta's Future

COVID-19 Response

Jason Kenney and the UCP have failed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic properly. The Premier has a duty to keep Albertans safe. Instead, he went missing as the second wave of the deadly virus descended on the province.

We all want to avoid closures, but Jason Kenney is failing to take action that will help keep Albertans safe and our economy running. In response, the Alberta NDP are developing policies and recommendations to properly address the greatest public health threat Alberta has likely ever faced. Read the policies below, provide feedback and check back often for updates.

If you have ideas on how to keep Alberta safe and protect our economy please let us know.

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NDP Presents Plan to make Schools Safer Amid Rapid Omicron Spread

The Alberta NDP is proposing new measures to ensure students are safe and protected when they return to the classroom, as the rapid spread of Omicron continues to impact Alberta schools.

UCP Must Bring in Paid Sick Leave as Workers Face Omicron

In the face of an Omicron-driven fifth wave, the Alberta NDP Caucus is renewing its call for the UCP government to bring in paid sick leave legislation to support Alberta workers.

UCP Must Release Comprehensive Omicron Modelling, Expand Booster, and Protect Unvaccinated Albertans

Jason Kenney and the UCP must present clear and comprehensive Omicron modelling to Albertans, expand booster-shot eligibility and reverse their reckless decision to allow unvaccinated Albertans to gather indoors.

UCP Must Stop Rural Emergency Room Closures, Ensure Critical Care Available This Holiday Season

Jason Kenney and the UCP must ensure critical care is available in rural communities over the holiday break, as Fort Vermillion’s emergency room closes.

81,600 Albertans Waiting for Surgery, UCP Delays Plan Until Next Year

More than 81,000 Albertans are waiting for surgery today, according to UCP Health Minister Jason Copping, but he refused to say how many delayed surgeries are the result of UCP negligence in the fourth wave and he punted the plan to address the backlog, promised for this week, into sometime next year.

Kenney Must use Military to Restart Contact Tracing in Schools an Daycares

To slow the surging fourth wave of COVID-19 in the province, Alberta’s NDP is calling on the UCP to request military personnel to bolster contact tracing systems for schools and child care centres.

NDP Demands Action in Wake of Red Deer Hospital Diverting All Emergency Surgeries

Alberta’s NDP is again demanding a real plan to get tens of thousands of people the surgeries they need in the wake of the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre taking the unprecedented step of diverting all operations away from the city.

UCP Must Report number of Surgeries Cancelled Due to their Fourth Negligence & Release a Plan to Address Backlog

We are calling on the UCP to provide daily reports on how many Albertans have had critical surgeries cancelled because the province’s hospitals are overrun with COVID-19 patients.

UCP Must Support Businesses, Protect Staff Enforcing Vaccine Passports

small business owners are scrambling to implement a verification process by hiring additional staff and holding emergency training sessions on how to verify client immunization records. The Alberta NDP is calling for the UCP to implement three measures to help small businesses implement practices to enforce a vaccine passport.

Supports for Businesses Impacted by the COVID-19 Fourth Wave

Alberta’s NDP is joining businesses to demand the UCP government provide immediate financial support and launch other initiatives for businesses impacted by the surging fourth wave of COVID-19 and new public health restrictions that were imposed — yet again — without warning.

Call to for the UCP to Provide Vaccines, Testing and PPE to Post-Secondary Campuses

Post-secondary students across the province are worrying about returning to classrooms in September as the UCP recklessly removes all COVID-19 health measures, including testing, tracing, and isolating.

The Alberta NDP are calling on the UCP government to implement a list of supports before the first day of classes in September.

Support to Help Farmers with Unprecedented Drought

Alberta’s NDP is demanding all claims for crop loss and damage due to a record heatwave and massive drought be settled this year to support farmers and ranchers who did so much to get this province through the pandemic.

Additional Support for Women trying to Keep Businesses Running During Third Wave of COVID-19

We are calling for additional support for women who own businesses as they struggle with miniscule supports, lacking communication and no forward-looking plan from Jason Kenney and the UCP.

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NDP Drafts Paid Sick Leave Bill for Alberta Workers, Demands Legislature Reopen to get it Passed

Alberta’s NDP has drafted a bill to be presented in the legislature to provide Albertans with 10 days of paid sick leave while the province battles the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Call for Measures to Help Childcare Programs get through COVID-19 Third Wave

Following extensive consultation with child care providers, Alberta’s NDP is calling for measures to help keep children and staff in child care settings safe and keep programs running during the COVID-19 third wave.

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Reimbursement of Small Businesses who Invested Thousands to be able to Operate During the Third Wave

Alberta’s NDP is calling for immediate support for restaurants and bars, and other small businesses who invested thousands of dollars to follow the previous health orders, and are now being forced to shut down with little warning and no ability to recover the costs.

Stiffest COVID-19 fines in Canada, Guideline from Solicitor General to Enforce the Rules

Alberta’s NDP is calling for fines issued to individuals violating COVID-19 public health orders to be tripled, a guideline on enforcement to be issued and a streamlined court process as thousands continue to break the law despite record case counts in the province.

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Paid Sick Leave to Protect Workers, Relaunch the Economy Sooner

Alberta’s NDP is calling on the provincial government to make sure workers aren’t forced to choose between isolating with symptoms and providing for their families.

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Utility Bill Relief in Response to Shocking Bill Increases During the Pandemic, Economic Downturn

Alberta’s NDP is calling for major relief for consumers following a sudden surge in constituents coming forward with massive cost increases on their monthly electricity and overall utility bills.

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Introduction of an Alberta Travel Pass Tourism Voucher

The Alberta NDP is calling for the introduction of an Alberta Travel Pass tourism voucher to encourage Albertans to vacation in the province’s mountains and parks this summer

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Emergency Support for Workers and Small Businesses

Alberta’s NDP is calling for immediate emergency support for small businesses and their employees, who have been affect by the recent public health measures.

Call to Give Alberta Workers Three Paid Hours to get Vaccinated

We are calling on the UCP government to speed up the province’s economic recovery by ensuring every worker can get vaccinated without fear of losing part of their income.

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15 Percent Cap Delivery App Fees to Protect Alberta Restaurants

We are calling the Provincial Government to implement a blanket, 15 per cent cap on fees charged to establishments by third-party delivery apps. Also, we are seeking a five per cent cap on processing fees to prevent any revenue losses incurred by the companies behind delivery apps from being downloaded onto drivers and customers.

The Government must Require all Travelers to Quarantine for 14 day to Protect Albertans

Alberta’s NDP Opposition is calling on Premier Jason Kenney to protect Albertans from new COVID variants by requiring 14 days of quarantine from international and domestic travelers arriving by air to protect Albertans from COVID-19 variants

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Call for the UCP Government to Present Proactive, Transparent Plan For COVID Variants

Albertans need Premier Jason Kenney to present a proactive and transparent plan to respond to emerging variants of COVID-19, which have spread rapidly in several other countries.

Immediate Supports for New Small Businesses So They Can Make It Though the Second Shutdown

Alberta’s NDP with the input from the owners of new small businesses and sole proprietors are calling on the UCP Government to provide critical supports to help them survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supports for New Small Businesses

Safe Schools, Successful Students Addendum: A Plan for 2021

The Alberta NDP is putting forward this addendum to our Safe Schools, Successful Students plan. We propose four new concrete recommendations that will help schools reopen — and stay open — in 2021.

Read Report Here

Emergency Payment Program to Help Unemployed Albertans

Alberta’s NDP is proposing a program to help Albertans facing sudden unemployment over the holidays and to provide a shot of adrenaline to the provincial economy in the wake of new closure measures.

Emergency Payment Program

Provincially Funded Mental Health Sessions

We are calling on the government to help all Albertans get through the incredibly difficult COVID-19 pandemic by making five mental health therapy sessions available through the provincial insurance plan.

Provincially Funded Mental Health Sessions

Rapid Testing for Continuing Care Residents and Staff

The Alberta NDP and medical experts are calling for a twice-weekly rapid testing regime to be introduced in continuing care centres after 150 people died in those facilities in November alone.

Rapid Testing for Continuing Care Centres

COVID-19 Supports for Small Business

Small Businesses are struggling and the Government needs to provide support so they can survive this pandemic. That is why the Alberta NDP has released 7 point plan to help Alberta small businesses.

Small Business Supports

Creation of an Independent COVID-19 Advisory Group

Jason Kenney has lost the trust of Albertans. That is way the NDP Official Opposition is calling for the creation of an independent COVID-19 Advisory Panel.

COVID-19 Advisory Group

Province Wide Mandatory Masks Policy

The Alberta NDP is calling on Jason Kenney and the UCP government to implement a mandatory mask policy for all public indoor spaces.

Mask Policy For COVID-19

Safe Schools, Successful Students- 15 Student Class Cap

In July, the Alberta NDP Opposition released a 15 point plan so Alberta schools can operate safely. There has been tens of thousands of students and staff that have to isolate due to COVID-19 exposure in a classroom. Capping classroom would have reduced the risk of spread and have resulted with thousands less students needing to isolate.

Safe Schools, Successful Students

Six Measures to Help Trace and Slow Down the Spread

Jason Kenney is not living up to his own personal responsibility as premier, which is to keep Albertans safe. Alberta’s NDP Official Opposition is calling for six pro-active and non-restrictive measures that could reduce transmission and change the trajectory of Alberta’s case numbers.

Six COVID-19 Measures

Paid Leave for Healthcare Workers

Alberta’s NDP and representatives for healthcare workers are calling for Premier Jason Kenney to follow through on his commitment and introduce sustained sick pay.

Healthcare Workers Paid Leave

If you have ideas on how to keep Alberta safe and protect our economy please let us know.

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