Pallister looks to further reduce pandemic restrictions on Manitobans
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/07/2020 (1522 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
A trip to the casino, indoor visits at personal care homes or a visit from out-of-province guests could form part of the weekend itinerary for Manitobans.
The province plans to move to Phase 4 of its economic reopening strategy as early as July 25, Premier Brian Pallister announced Tuesday.
The draft plan does away with the current 14-day self-isolation period for domestic travel to Manitoba from eastern Canada.
Since June 21, visitors and travellers from Western Canada, west of Terrace Bay, Ont., could enter the province without being required to self-isolate.
“We’ve reduced (restrictions) in some respects more slowly than most jurisdictions across Canada. Apart from the Maritime provinces, no one else has a self-isolation period west of New Brunswick,” Pallister said.
“Get in line. We’re all concerned. We all have fears. All of us. We can’t give in to them. We can’t continue to live our lives in fear. We have to act appropriately to deserve to have courage.”
– Premier Brian Pallister
To those worried about people travelling to the province from locations where COVID-19 is circulating in the community, Pallister said there are safeguards in place to protect Manitobans.
“Get in line. We’re all concerned. We all have fears. All of us. We can’t give in to them,” he said. “We can’t continue to live our lives in fear. We have to act appropriately to deserve to have courage.”
With Phase 4, the shows might go on
The provincial government announced Tuesday the draft plan for Phase 4 of its recovery plan, and with it, a series of changes that could bring some businesses and venues closer to normalcy as soon as Saturday.
The provincial government announced Tuesday the draft plan for Phase 4 of its recovery plan, and with it, a series of changes that could bring some businesses and venues closer to normalcy as soon as Saturday.
Care homes, bars, the tourism industry, and the live performance sector could, if the plan is enacted, see increases in their capacity to operate, while other venues — casinos and movie theatres — could be allowed to open for the first time since March.
The Free Press reached out to stakeholders from those sectors to hear their thoughts on the proposal.
Live theatre
It’s been more than four months since a performance was held at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, and there aren’t plans for another until January 2021.
That, despite that as early as Saturday live theatre performances could resume in Manitoba with 50 per cent capacity or 500 people in attendance, whichever are lower.
But that doesn’t mean the proposal wasn’t music to RMTC marketing director Katie Inverarity’s ears.
“We were really heartened to see the announcement today,” she said. “It’s certainly the direction we need to see in order to return to producing live theatre.”
Still, there are details she hoped the province would clarify, including precise expectations for distancing among the audience, cast and crew and additional protocols for the safety of artists.
The RMTC’s planned return will come in stages, Inverarity said, with the audiences and performances starting out small. The first play scheduled is a one-person show.
Care homes
By Saturday, two designated family members or friends of care home residents in Manitoba could be able to visit loved ones in their rooms, with increased visitation outdoors, too.
Julie Tourenne-Maynard, the executive director of the Manitoba Association for Residential and Community Care Homes for the Elderly (MARCHE) wasn’t surprised — there’s been lots of public pressure calling for the change — but she wasn’t without concern.
“Some families will be very happy, and others will be very skeptical of increased risk,” she said. “And I would sense that the care facility operators are nervous.”
Since March, visitation to care homes has been limited. Tourenne-Maynard said she hoped the public would be patient and understand the changes would be difficult to implement on short notice.
She also wondered whether guests will be expected to supply their own personal protection equipment, or if centres will, and who will be responsible for screening guests, as staffing and resources in many centres is limited.
Interprovincial tourism
Instincts might say COVID-19 sapped tourism, as travel from out of the province and country ground to a halt. But tourism within Manitoba by Manitobans has been doing quite well, says Jenny Dupas, the executive director of Eastman Tourism.
Dupas said in her six years on the job, she’s never seen more Manitobans going to places like the Whiteshell. “We’ve always attracted a huge domestic market,” she said. During COVID-19, it’s actually grown in her region.
That makes the announcement that required self-isolation for domestic travellers to Manitoba could end Saturday less impactful than it otherwise might’ve been, she said.
“We’ve been fortunate in Manitoba, so of course it’s a concern to bring visitors from other provinces,” she said. Not only that: it’s been so busy at some spots that “if out-of-province visitors wanted to come, they might have trouble finding accommodations.”
In the city, Tourisme Riel, which promotes travel in St. Boniface, St. Norbert and St. Vital, stands to benefit a lot more from the lifted restrictions.
Director Michelle Gervais said the organization relies on travel from Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick, and the change could see a minor bounce back.
But Gervais said just because restrictions are easing, it doesn’t mean the tourism industry can let its guard down.
“It’s important all the players continue to be vigilant,” she said.
Coming soon to a theatre near you
The screen’s been dark at Cinematheque since March, but that could change as movie theatres might get the greenlight to hit play soon.
Phase 4’s draft allows movie theatres to reopen to a maximum of 50 per cent capacity, as long as physical distancing and sanitation practices are in place.
Film programmer Jaimz Asmundson was pleased by the announcement, and said Cinematheque, which has introduced innovative programming like the online Cinematheque At Home service, could start showing films again by mid-August.
“That’ll give us time to book films, rehire staff, and order more concessions,” he said.
The tentative plan for the 85-seat theatre is to limit seating to between 30 and 40 per cent, and introducing a new advanced ticket-purchasing system where seats next to already-purchased seats are voided to allow more space per guest.
“We did put in new seating recently too, and there’s good distance between each row,” Asmundson said. “It’s great for leg room, but it’s also great for physical distancing.”
A Cineplex spokesperson said the company was still reviewing the proposal and couldn’t confirm opening plans for its local theatres. Other media reported that Landmark Cinemas planned to reopen its theatres July 31.
ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca
On Tuesday, public health officials identified 12 new cases of COVID-19 as of 9:30 a.m. and were supporting self-isolation efforts for at least three Hutterite colonies experiencing outbreaks tied to travel to Alberta.
International travel and commercial trucking have also been identified as sources of recent COVID-19 cases in Manitoba, though Pallister said travel alone is not a significant risk factor.
“It is a balancing act in the sense that there is risk. There is a risk in not opening up the borders that’s enormous and there’s a risk that can be mitigated in opening up borders and allowing travel,” he said.
Also in the draft plan is a proposal to increase gathering sizes to 75 people indoors and 250 outside; adjust gathering sizes for faith based and cultural events to 50 per cent of a venue’s capacity, or 500 people, whichever is less; reopen movie theatres and live-theatre performances; and bring the province’s casinos back online at half capacity.
Bars and brewpubs would once again be allowed to offer counter walk-up service, and occupancy limits would be lifted for all retail and indoor recreation settings, except gyms and athletic facilities, and dance, theatre and music schools.
The province is proposing to allow indoor visits to personal care homes by two designated support people and “general visitors” for social reasons. Visitors must wear masks while on the property.
Feedback from the public on the proposed changes is being gathered at engagemb.ca. Dr. Brent Roussin and cabinet ministers Ralph Eichler and Cameron Friesen will also hold a telephone town hall on Wednesday.
Laurel Trotter, communications officer with Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, said she couldn’t confirm if casinos would be ready to open on July 25. However, planning has been underway for some time to reopen Club Regent and McPhillips Station Casino.
“Once we have received a definitive reopening date from the province, we will publish updated information on the preventative measures in place at our casinos so our customers will know what to expect when they visit one of our venues,” Trotter said.
While First Nations communities would be allowed to host indoor gatherings with up to 500 people (or 50 per cent of venue capacity) under the draft plan, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas said leaders will likely choose to postpone powwows and other ceremonial events.
“Our communities that are wanting to explore these ceremonies and gatherings, that’s up to them,” Dumas said. “They’re deciding how they want to move forward, they’re evolving and amending their local processes and how they get together.”
“Some of our communities have carried on summer events and gatherings, but they have chosen to be insular,” he said.
“You take a look at all these little spikes that are happening right now; I think we should learn from that, refocus and maybe take a step back.”
– Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas
Dumas said most, if not all, First Nation communities have maintained self-imposed travel restrictions as the province reopened. He called the government’s plan to roll back self-isolation requirements on travel alarming.
“You take a look at all these little spikes that are happening right now; I think we should learn from that, refocus and maybe take a step back,” he said.
Opposition NDP leader Wab Kinew said the province should encourage mask wearing as additional reopening measures are implemented. Added investments in child care and seniors need to be part of the economic reopening strategy, he said.
“Manitoba families want to enjoy their summer but they also want to be sure our province is reopening responsibly, particularly in regard to travel from COVID-19 hot spots,” Kinew said.
danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca
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History
Updated on Tuesday, July 21, 2020 10:14 PM CDT: Fixes link address
