Hinton Emergency Operations Centre

The Hinton Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) remains active, receiving guidance from both the Province and Local Agencies on statuses and needs. The information below represents a digest of relevant information considered important for residents. 

CONSULT THE PROVINCIAL WEBSITE FOR UP TO THE MINUTE STATUS
BY CLICKING HERE.

Current Provincial Updates

• The province reported 871 new cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, an increase from 692 on last Wednesday. The testing positivity rate is 6.5 per cent, compared to 6.6 per cent last Wednesday. Hospitals in Alberta are preparing for a third wave of the pandemic, driven by the increasing case numbers and more aggressive variants of the coronavirus. 
• Alberta hit a new record of 406 new cases involving variants of concern, according to Wednesday's provincial update.
  
• In Alberta, as of Wednesday, there were 8,350 active cases across the province as well as two more deaths. 301 people in hospital, including 63 in intensive care.
• Premier Jason Kenney said Wednesday that Alberta is not considering imposing further restrictions at this time, despite weeks of surging COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and cases caused by variants of concern.
  
• As of Wednesday, 634,997 doses of vaccines have been administered and 101,298 Albertans have been fully vaccinated.
• If shipments arrive as scheduled, the province says all adults in the province will receive their first dose by the end of June.
• The province's rollout of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines expanded to Phase 2B Tuesday, which will eventually open it up to more than 945,000 Albertans born in the birth years 1957 to 2005 (16 to 64) with underlying health conditions. However, not all in that group were eligible right away: only those born between 1957 and 1963 were eligible as of Tuesday. (See vaccine section below for more details.) Appointments can be booked online or by calling 811.
• As of March 10, Alberta began offering the AstraZeneca-Oxford/Covishield vaccine as an option for adults who do not have a severe chronic illness in a staggered rollout to Albertans born 1957 to 1971 and First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) persons born 1972 to 1976. Appointments can be booked online or by calling 811.
• The chart below shows periods of pandemic response and levels of re-opening.

Government of Alberta "A Path Forward" Step Two now in effect

Alberta is still in Step Two of the Re-opening plan "A path forward". A roadmap was developed to help Albertans understand how restrictions will be eased in steps over the coming months. A Path Forward outlines the sectors that will see gradual restriction changes at each step based on hospitalization benchmarks.

The Alberta government has not moved into the next phase of reopening, Step 3. Health Minister Tyler Shandro said recently that no restrictions will be eased at this time because hospitalizations are on the rise. Under current guidelines, outdoor social gatherings can have up to 10 people. All indoor social gatherings are limited to household members only. Retail stores and malls could increase their capacity to 25 per cent of fire code occupancy, and youth sports teams and activities could resume with up to 10 participants. Masks and physical distancing are still required.

Restaurants, Pubs, Bars, Lounges and Cafes

Mandatory restrictions - Provincewide - Effective Mar 8

• Restaurants, pubs, bars, lounges and cafes can open for in-person service.
• Maximum of 6 people per table – individuals must be from the same household or the 2 close contacts for a person living alone.
• Tables/dining parties must be 2 metres apart.
• Contact information must be collected from one person of the dining party or the individual if they are dining alone.
• Liquor service ends at 10 pm.
• In-person dining must close by 11 pm.
• No entertainment allowed (e.g., no VLTs, pool tables, live music, etc.).
• Retail stores and malls will be allowed to increase their capacity to 25 per cent of fire code occupancy.

Children Sport and Performance Activity

• Youth sports teams and activities are allowed to resume with up to 10 participants. Masks and physical distancing are still required.
• Restrictions are also being eased for child, youth and adult performances, including singing, theatre and playing wind instruments, though participants must follow the same restrictions as for youth sports.
• Children’s sport and performance activities are permitted if related to school activities, such as physical education classes.
• K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions are allowed to use off-site facilities to support curriculum-related educational activities.

Indoor Fitness

• Gyms and fitness centres would be allowed to reopen for "low-intensity" activities. Decisions about what constitutes "safe" indoor fitness activities will be left to gym owners and their clients (new).
• Group or team sports not permitted
• No sports games, competitions, team practice, league play or group exercise of any kind is allowed.
• One-on-one training is permitted
• Only one-on-one or one-on-one household training is permitted for indoor fitness activities (for example, in dance studios, swimming pools, training figure skating on ice, one-on-one lessons).
• Sessions have to be scheduled or by appointment. No drop-in or groups allowed.
• Individual workouts without a trainer are not permitted.

Libraries

• Libraries were also allowed to open to 15 per cent of fire code capacity, under the limited easing of restrictions (new).

Physical Distancing and Cleaning Practices Must Continue

It is essential that residents and businesses understand that suppression activities, in particular maintaining safe physical distances, must be maintained. If not maintained, transmission will rapidly rebound, potentially producing an epidemic comparable in scale to what would have been seen had no interventions been adopted.

The Town, and Province, need your help to continue to restrict your activities in the interest of community health. Distancing, hand washing, and sanitizing is crucial in saving lives and suppressing the transmission of the virus.

To view current Provincial Restrictions, please visit the Government of Alberta's COVID web site, available here.

Mandatory Measures Remain in Place

• Outdoor social gatherings are allowed up to 10 people. Indoor gatherings remain prohibited.
• Personal and wellness services are allowed to open by appointment only.
• Funeral ceremony attendance has been increased to 20 people, with mandatory masking and 2-meter physical distancing. Funeral receptions are not allowed.
• All other mandatory restrictions will remain in place until further notice, including:
  • All indoor social gatherings are prohibited. This will be enforced with $1,000 fines.
  • Masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces and workplaces.
  • Working from home is mandatory when physical presence is not required.
  • Current childcare and K-12 learning measures remain in effect.

Chief Medical Officer's Message

"Free hotel rooms are available if you can't isolate at home." - CMOH

Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw will deliver her next update today at 3:30 p.m.

View it here.

Hinton Town Council 

Town of Hinton Administration

Town Facilities Update

• General
  • Key Phone Number: 211
• Corporate Services
  • Key Phone Number: 780-865-6016
  • Key Email: bsirois@hinton.ca
• Development Services
  • Key Phone Number: 780-865-6010
  • Key Email: development@hinton.ca
• Family and Community Support Services
  • Key Phone Number: 780-865-6036
  • Key Email: ccasemore@hinton.ca
• Dr. Duncan Murray Recreation Centre
  • Key Phone Number: 780-865-4412
  • Key Phone Number (Automated): 780-865-6066
  • Key Email: recreation@hinton.ca
• Infrastructure Services and Parks
  • 24/7 Service Line: 780-865-2634
• Emergency Services/Protective Services
  • EMERGENCY: ALWAYS CALL 911
  • Emergency Services
    • Key Phone Number (fire): 780-865-6089
    • Key Phone Number Complaint (Bylaw/Peace Officer): 780-865-6009
  • Protective Services (RCMP)
    • Key Phone Number: 780-865-2455

ComServ 20 is available now!

Online Resources
Town of Hinton COVID Webpage
Province of Alberta COVID Webpage
Province of Alberta - Emergency Management Act
Government of Canada COVID Webpage
World Health Organization COVID Website