City of Red Deer
City dropping employee vaccine and mask mandates – except for transit drivers and passengers
City suspends staff COVID-19 immunization policy
The internal immunization policy that applies to all City of Red Deer staff is suspended starting today. The policy was originally implemented on October 5, 2021, as an added layer of protection to reduce transmission and minimize symptom severity to protect the healthcare system and maintain service levels.
“There has been a shift in the provincial pandemic response over the past several weeks to learning to live with the virus. The decision to suspend our internal policy is reflective of this shift,” said Interim City Manager Tara Lodewyk. “The policy contributed to the safety of our workplaces and lessened the impact of COVID-19 for staff, which resulted in minimal impacts to service delivery over the past five months. The decision to suspend rather than eliminate the
policy speaks to our inability to foresee what COVID-19 may hand us in the future; it reserves the ability to re-implement the policy if the hazard level and situation warrants it.”
Since implementing the policy, 92.5 per cent of City staff provided proof of full immunization, the remaining 7.5 per cent chose to provide ongoing proof of negative rapid antigen testing. With the suspension of the policy, the ongoing rapid antigen testing is not required; however, The City will continue to encourage immunization recommendations made by the provincial and federal governments, including booster shots.
As of Monday, March 21, internal masking requirements for staff are also lifted unless required for specific jobs or worksites, or those who make the personal choice to continue to wear one. Staff who have worked from home since the beginning of the pandemic will also begin to move back into the traditional workspace. These adjustments to internal measures come three weeks following the province’s removal of mandatory masks in public places and lifting the
work from home order. “Safety and providing continuous services to our community is job one. That is why we are taking a cautious approach in easing of internal measures and shifting back into our offices,” said Lodewyk. “Each person experienced this pandemic differently, and this next phase that we’re moving into is no different. We will support our staff as we move into what we hope to be the post-pandemic phase.”
Other measures that will remain in place for staff include physical barriers and distancing, limited in-person gatherings for training and meetings, and the requirement to stay home when sick.
City staff were notified today of the suspension of the internal COVID-19 immunization policy. The City will also continue to follow all health measures in place from the Province. Currently masks are still required on municipal and intra-provincial public transit for Albertans 13 years and older, and at AHS-operated and contracted facilities and all continuing care settings. For Transit services in Red Deer, this means that all riders over 13 years and Transit operators must continue to mask when on our buses.
The staff COVID-19 immunization policy is approved by the City Manager. Council has their own immunization policy and any changes to that policy would need to be discussed and decided upon at a Council meeting.
It’s a telling detail about the person who leads Red Deer City Council. Always putting the city’s needs ahead of his own, Mayor Ken Johnston has announced his intentions within days of the opening of Nominations for October’s municipal elections,
After 12 years on council, Mayor Ken Johnston has decided against running for a second term as Mayor this fall. Johnson shared his decision in front of colleagues and supporters in a touching announcement on Wednesday.
At 71 years old, Johnston remains vibrant, passionate and healthy. He says that’s exactly why he and his wife Carolyn have decided now is the right time to start their next stage of life together.
Mayor Johnston listed a number of highlights and achievements he can look back on, including his help advocating for the redevelopment of Red Deer Regional Hospital, the growth of Red Deer Polytechnic, and positive moves in Economic Development.
All these lead of a feeling of ease about the decision to step away, though affordable housing and a permanent shelter for the homeless remain pressing concerns.
With about 8 months remaining in his term, Mayor Johnston is planning to push hard to move the needle on these housing issues.
“We’re looking forward to some more work and we’ll be going to the community shortly about it. So I still have optimism that maybe before the term is out we can have an announcement.”
This is the second major political announcement in Central Alberta in the last number of days. Earlier this week Red Deer Mountain View MP Earl Dreeshen announced he won’t be running in the next federal election.
City of Red Deer
Council ends reduced fine option for early ticket payment, school and playground zones start at 7 AM
City Council approves first reading of updated Traffic Bylaw and General Penalty Bylaw
Red Deer City Council completed first reading of updated Traffic Bylaw (3707/2025) and General Penalties Bylaw (3036/A-2025) that will provide clarity and consistency in application of the bylaws as well as eliminate challenges in enforcement.
Key updates to the bylaws include:
- Ticket Pre-Payment:
- Removing the option to pay a parking ticket early to receive a reduced fee from the General Penalty Bylaw and adding it to the Traffic Bylaw.
- School and Playground Zone Start Times:
- Through investigating requests from schools to have school and playground zones start at 7 a.m., rather than 8 a.m., Administration determined that almost all school and playground zones in the city have students on the street prior to 7:30 a.m. To be consistent across the city, the start time is being moved to 7 a.m. providing an added measure of safety for all students.
- Salt on Sidewalks:
- Removing the provision prohibiting the use of salt on sidewalks as this provision was rarely reported and it is difficult and costly to enforce.
- Permits:
- More structure was added to the bylaw to clearly articulate conditions and requirements of Use of Streets Permits, as well as Excavation Permits and Alignment Permits.
- Lastly, fees for closures impacting on-street and off-street stalls have been adjusted to reflect the actual revenue in each parking zone rather than the flat fee.
- Penalties:
- Penalties have been reviewed and updated.
- During the last bylaw adoption, the penalty associated with vehicles being towed due to snow or street sweeping operations was inadvertently missed. This penalty has been added back in at a slightly higher amount due to an increase in the cost to tow a vehicle through The City’s contractor. This prevents the costs associated with towing vehicles during these operations from being subsidized by the tax base.
“These updates streamline the bylaws to create clarity for residents and administration,” said Erin Stuart, Inspections and Licensing Manager with The City. “They also help to eliminate regulations that are challenging to enforce and bring penalties in line with other City Bylaws.”
Second reading of both bylaws is anticipated for January 27, 2025.
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