Starting May 4, Manitoba will begin the long road to economic recovery from COVID-19.
The province will begin relaxing measures on operations for non-essential businesses starting Monday, allowing some types of business closed during the pandemic to reopen to the public.
The province outlined the plans in a 33-page document, detailing the release of the plans in five phases.
Phase one of the plan will begin May 4, with previously cancelled health care procedures, including elective surgeries, the first items on the list. Heavily restricted retail operations will be allowed reopen. Restaurants will be allowed to open up their patios and museums and libraries will be able to open. Hairstylists and barbers can also reopen, as will seasonal day camps and outdoor recreation and campgrounds.
The plan calls for maximum gathering size to remain at 10 people. That order could be loosened as early as mid-May.
Premier Brian Pallister made the announcement April 29, thanking Manitobans for their efforts following public health orders while cautioning the new plan does not mean the outbreak is over.
“This is not a victory lap,” he said.
“Today’s a celebration because of what you’ve done, and tomorrow will be a celebration because of what you’ll continue to do. There is no room for complacency against COVID-19.”
While the reopening will start soon, northern travel restrictions will remain in place for the time being, with no timeline for a return. The province is still yet to announce any enforcement plans, but with campgrounds opening up, Pallister said it is likely people will soon begin looking north for travel again.
“We have incredible beauty in northern Manitoba, and we want people to be able to share it, and so we’re trying to facilitate that happens safely,” he said.
Pallister wasn’t able to confirm whether or not northern Manitoba would see restrictions lifted at a different time compared to the rest of the province.
“We’re a complex province,” he said.
“I can only tell you that all these phase two items are contingent on success coming through the next few weeks. Where we’ve gotten so far is in large part because of our willingness to follow the rules and requirements given to us.”
Pallister confirmed schools will not open before September. Elsewhere in Canada, elementary schools in Quebec have been opened.
“We’re into May next week, we’ve got a few weeks to monitor the situation, then you’re into June and it’s the last month of the school year,” Pallister said.
“We’re not entertaining the idea of reopening schools at this time.”
Phase two of Manitoba’s plan does not give a solid date, but instead calls for reassessment. Pallister confirmed no matter what happens, the second phase will not begin before June 1, requiring provincial COVID-19 case numbers to remain low.
“We just cannot afford to have a big upswing in COVID-19 cases,” Pallister said.
“This is conjecture, but I think there will be a lower percentage of COVID-19 cases per test determined, because we’re broadening the testing out… We might see an uptick of cases, we will know that only in the future. These commitments are only commitments in theory.”
The second phase of loosening could include expanding public gatherings, allowing dine-in restaurants to open at a reduced capacity and restoring non-contact children’s sports.
Provinces like Saskatchewan have outlined more concrete dates for openings moving forward.
There is little information on what future phases will look like, but the document outlines the earliest large gatherings could return would be September.
“This is not an announcement about a return to normal,” Pallister said.
“Not right away. The normal will be a new normal.”
