Alberta
Watch: Ten new cases of COVID-19 in Alberta. Two people in intensive care
From the Province of Alberta
COVID-19 in Alberta March 14
Ten additional cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, bringing the total number of cases in the province to 39.
Six of the new cases are in Calgary Zone and four are in Edmonton Zone.
Two of the new cases, one in Edmonton Zone and the other in Calgary Zone, have been admitted into intensive care. All other new cases are self-isolating at home and expected to make a full recovery.
Eight of the new cases have been confirmed to be related to international travel or to a previously confirmed case. Investigations are ongoing on the remaining two cases.
“Given the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know parents, students, and school officials are very concerned. I want to assure all Albertans that their children’s safety is top of mind in all our decisions, and we are making the best public health decisions we can with the information we have, in this rapidly developing situation. We are prepared to make changes if and when the situation warrants it.”
School update
A conference call was held today with the chief medical officer of health and more than 500 representatives from Alberta’s school boards, school authorities, and education stakeholders.
On March 13, Alberta recommended that schools remain open at this time. The World Health Organization does not recommend school closures as the only way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in children.
Alberta continues to monitor the province’s situation carefully. If the situation warrants it, the Alberta government could direct the closure of an individual school, a group of schools, an entire school division, or all schools in the province. This would be a decision of Cabinet’s emergency management committee.
In meantime, all schools should take steps to protect the health of students and staff:
- eliminate large gatherings of students
- ensure no more than 250 people are in the same room at any given time
- consider cancelling extracurricular activities that involve physical contact
A new guide has been developed to help schools and daycares reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. The guide is available at alberta.ca/COVID19.
We will continue to update this document based on feedback received from education stakeholders.
Flight Information
There are more and more flights with passengers confirmed to have the virus. Albertans should self-monitor their air travel, so that public health officials can use their time to trace other contacts. Those who have recently returned to Alberta via a flight, are encouraged to visit alberta.ca/COVID19 for flight information and to self-isolate if found to be at risk of exposure.
Government will be posting flight information that includes the flight number, date and any seats on the flight that might be at risk of exposure to COVID-19. Passengers in affected seats are encouraged to self-isolate for 14 days after arrival in Canada and monitor for symptoms. Other passengers are not required to self-isolate but should monitor for symptoms as a precaution.
Certain professions may be exempt from travel restrictions. Any exemptions are being determined on a case-by-case basis after consultation with industry stakeholders. At this time, flight attendants and pilots are exempted from travel recommendations, provided they practice good hygiene and take precautions to limit their risk.
Updated resources
- Flight information is posted under the “Info for Albertans” section.
- The new guide for schools and child care programs has been posted under “Info for schools and child care centres.”
- A new information sheet on mass gatherings, including risk mitigation strategies, has been posted under “Public health restrictions on mass gatherings.”
- Information posters are available under “Resources” for organizations and businesses to distribute.
- Alberta Health Services has launched an online self-assessment tool to help Albertans determine whether they should get tested for COVID-19. Over 100,000 Albertans completed self-assessments within the first 24 hours.
Quick facts
- Alberta’s Provincial Operations Centre in Edmonton elevated from a level 2 to a level 3 – out of a possible 4. Level 3 indicates an increased amount of cross-government coordination through the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.
- The most important measures that Albertans can take to prevent respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, is to practise good hygiene.
- This includes cleaning your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds, avoiding touching your face, coughing or sneezing into your elbow or sleeve, disposing of tissues appropriately, and staying home and away from others if you are sick.
- Anyone who has health concerns or is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should contact Health Link 811 to see if follow up testing is required.
- For recommendations on protecting yourself and your community, visit alberta.ca/COVID19.
Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the April 2, 2025 U.S. tariff announcement:
“Today was an important win for Canada and Alberta, as it appears the United States has decided to uphold the majority of the free trade agreement (CUSMA) between our two nations. It also appears this will continue to be the case until after the Canadian federal election has concluded and the newly elected Canadian government is able to renegotiate CUSMA with the U.S. administration.
“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. administration for months.
“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including zero per cent tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.
“There is still work to be done, of course. Unfortunately, tariffs previously announced by the United States on Canadian automobiles, steel and aluminum have not been removed. The efforts of premiers and the federal government should therefore shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs as we go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.
“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.
“As it appears the worst of this tariff dispute is behind us (though there is still work to be done), it is my sincere hope that we, as Canadians, can abandon the disastrous policies that have made Canada vulnerable to and overly dependent on the United States, fast-track national resource corridors, get out of the way of provincial resource development and turn our country into an independent economic juggernaut and energy superpower.”
From the Fraser Institute
By any measure, Alberta is an energy powerhouse—within Canada, but also on a global scale. In 2023, it produced 85 per cent of Canada’s oil and three-fifths of the country’s natural gas. Most of Canada’s oil reserves are in Alberta, along with a majority of natural gas reserves. Alberta is the beating heart of the Canadian energy economy. And energy, in turn, accounts for one-quarter of Canada’s international exports.
Consider some key facts about the province’s energy landscape, as noted in the Alberta Energy Regulator’s (AER) 2023 annual report. Oil and natural gas production continued to rise (on a volume basis) in 2023, on the heels of steady increases over the preceding half decade. However, the dollar value of Alberta’s oil and gas production fell in 2023, as the surging prices recorded in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine retreated. Capital spending in the province’s energy sector reached $30 billion in 2023, making it the leading driver of private-sector investment. And completion of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project has opened new offshore export avenues for Canada’s oil industry and should boost Alberta’s energy production and exports going forward.
In a world striving to address climate change, Alberta’s hydrocarbon-heavy energy sector faces challenges. At some point, the world may start to consume less oil and, later, less natural gas (in absolute terms). But such “peak” consumption hasn’t arrived yet, nor does it appear imminent. While the demand for certain refined petroleum products is trending down in some advanced economies, particularly in Europe, we should take a broader global perspective when assessing energy demand and supply trends.
Looking at the worldwide picture, Goldman Sachs’ 2024 global energy forecast predicts that “oil usage will increase through 2034” thanks to strong demand in emerging markets and growing production of petrochemicals that depend on oil as the principal feedstock. Global demand for natural gas (including LNG) will also continue to increase, particularly since natural gas is the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel and more of it is being traded in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Against this backdrop, there are reasons to be optimistic about the prospects for Alberta’s energy sector, particularly if the federal government dials back some of the economically destructive energy and climate policies adopted by the last government. According to the AER’s “base case” forecast, overall energy output will expand over the next 10 years. Oilsands output is projected to grow modestly; natural gas production will also rise, in part due to greater demand for Alberta’s upstream gas from LNG operators in British Columbia.
The AER’s forecast also points to a positive trajectory for capital spending across the province’s energy sector. The agency sees annual investment rising from almost $30 billion to $40 billion by 2033. Most of this takes place in the oil and gas industry, but “emerging” energy resources and projects aimed at climate mitigation are expected to represent a bigger slice of energy-related capital spending going forward.
Like many other oil and gas producing jurisdictions, Alberta must navigate the bumpy journey to a lower-carbon future. But the world is set to remain dependent on fossil fuels for decades to come. This suggests the energy sector will continue to underpin not only the Alberta economy but also Canada’s export portfolio for the foreseeable future.
Jock Finlayson
Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute
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