Alberta
Province to respond to 358 COVID-19 cases in High River – Alberta Update

From the Province of Alberta
Update 35: COVID-19 pandemic in Alberta (April 17 at 4:15 p.m.)
There are now 1,124 confirmed recovered cases of COVID-19 in the province.
A total of 239 new cases have been reported, bringing the total number of cases to 2,397.
No Albertans have died since the last report.
Latest updates
- Cases have been identified in all zones across the province:
- 1,673 cases in the Calgary zone
- 429 cases in the Edmonton zone
- 135 cases in the North zone
- 77 cases in the Central zone
- 68 cases in the South zone
- 15 cases in zones yet to be confirmed
- Of these cases, there are currently 60 people in hospital, 13 of whom have been admitted to intensive care units (ICU).
- 400 cases are suspected of being community acquired.
- A total of 50 Albertans have died from COVID-19 to date: 34 in the Calgary zone, eight in the Edmonton zone, seven in the North zone, and one in the Central zone.
- To date, 270 cases have been confirmed at continuing care facilities, and 32 residents at these facilities have died.
- There have been 89,144 people tested for COVID-19 and a total of 92,805 tests performed by the lab. In the last 24 hours, 3,831 people have been tested.
- Effective immediately, Alberta Health Services will assume administration of Manoir du Lac in McLennan. Learn more here.
- The 310 call centre is assuming standard hours of operation, from 8:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, and will not be open this weekend.
Expanded testing
- Alberta Health continues to closely monitor outbreak situations, and is working with employers and Alberta Health Services to expand testing to asymptomatic residents and staff in continuing care facilities and outbreak sites in the coming days. All workers from all companies at outbreak sites will be offered this opportunity.
- Additionally, Albertaās testing capacity is rapidly expanding and anyone with symptoms anywhere in the province can now be tested.
- Those with symptoms of COVID-19, including cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat, or shortness of breath, should complete an online COVID-19 self-assessment. After completing the form, there is no need to call 811.
- Albertaās testing capacity is currently approximately 7,000 samples per day, and the laboratory network is working to increase this capacity.
Camping reservations temporarily suspended
- Alberta Parks has suspended online campsite reservations and is refunding customers who have booked up to May 19.
- The decision is in line with other jurisdictions, such as Ontario, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Parks Canada, which have also suspended or delayed camping reservations.
Wastewater management
- As the regulator of municipal wastewater systems, Environment and Parks is aware of reports from municipalities that some homeowners are flushing inappropriate items down toilets, such as disinfectant wipes or paper towels.
- Albertans should avoid flushing items not intended for toilets because they can block sanitary lines, create service disruptions and cause sewer backups.
Temporary suspension of applications for emergency social services funding
- Effective April 21, the Government of Alberta will be temporarily suspending applications for emergency social services funding to charities, not-for-profits and civil society organizations to support their COVID-19 response.
- Government has received more than 600 applications for the $30-million fund. Current applications are being reviewed, and approvals for urgent requests will occur before reopening application intake.
Mental health supports
- Confidential supports are available to help with mental health concerns. The Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642 and the Addiction Help Line at 1-866-332-2322 are available between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week.
- Online resources provide advice on handling stressful situations or ways to talk with children.
Family violence prevention
- A 24-hour Family Violence Information Line is available at 310-1818 to get anonymous help in more than 170 languages.
- Albertaās One Line for Sexual Violence is available at 1-866-403-8000, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Information sheets and other resources on family violence prevention are available at alberta.ca/COVID19.
Quick facts
- The most important measure 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, and disposing of tissues appropriately.
- For recommendations on protecting yourself and your community, visitĀ alberta.ca/COVID19.
- All Albertans need to work together to overcome COVID-19. Albertans are asked to share acts of kindness they have experienced in their community during this difficult time by using the hashtag #AlbertaCares.
Alberta
Low oil prices could have big consequences for Albertaās finances

From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill
Amid the tariff war, the price of West Texas Intermediate oilāa common benchmarkārecently dropped belowĀ US$60 per barrel. Given every $1 drop in oil prices is an estimatedĀ $750 millionĀ hit to provincial revenues, if oil prices remain low for long, there could be big implications for Albertaās budget.
The Smith government already projects aĀ $5.2 billionĀ budget deficit in 2025/26 with continued deficits over the following two years. This yearās deficit is based on oil prices averaging US$68.00 per barrel. While the budget does include a $4 billion ācontingencyā for unforeseen events, given the economic and fiscal impact of Trumpās tariffs, it could quickly be eaten up.
Budget deficits come with costs for Albertans, who will already pay a projected $600 each in provincial government debt interest in 2025/26. Thatās money that could have gone towards health care and education, or even tax relief.
Unfortunately, this is all part of the resource revenueĀ rollercoasterĀ thatās are all too familiar to Albertans.
Resource revenue (including oil and gas royalties) is inherently volatile. In the last 10 years alone, it has been as high asĀ $25.2 billionĀ in 2022/23 and as low asĀ $2.8 billionĀ in 2015/16. The provincial government typically enjoys budget surplusesāand increases government spendingāwhen oil prices and resource revenue is relatively high, but is thrown into deficits when resource revenues inevitably fall.
Fortunately, the Smith government can mitigate this volatility.
The key is limiting the level of resource revenue included in the budget to a set stable amount. Any resource revenue above that stable amount is automatically saved in a rainy-day fund to be withdrawn to maintain that stable amount in the budget during years of relatively low resource revenue. The logic is simple: save during the good times so you can weather the storm during bad times.
Indeed, if the Smith government had created a rainy-day account in 2023, for example, it could have already built up aĀ sizeableĀ fund to help stabilize the budget when resource revenue declines. While the Smith government has deposited some money in the Heritage Fund in recent years, it has not created a dedicated rainy-day account or introduced a similar mechanism to help stabilize provincial finances.
Limiting the amount of resource revenue in the budget, particularly during times of relatively high resource revenue, also tempers demand for higher spending, which is only fiscally sustainable with permanently high resource revenues. In other words, if the government creates a rainy-day account, spending would become more closely align with stable ongoing levels of revenue.
And itās not too late. To end the boom-bust cycle and finally help stabilize provincial finances, the Smith government should create aĀ rainy-day account.
Alberta
Governments in Alberta should spur homebuilding amid population explosion

From the Fraser Institute
By Tegan Hill and Austin Thompson
In 2024, construction started on 47,827 housing unitsāthe most since 48,336 units in 2007 when population growth was less than half of what it was in 2024.
Alberta has long been viewed as an oasis in Canadaās overheated housing marketāa refuge for Canadians priced out of high-cost centres such as Vancouver and Toronto. But the oasis is starting to dry up.Ā House pricesĀ andĀ rentsĀ in the province have spiked by about one-third since the start of the pandemic. According to a recent MaruĀ poll, more than 70 per cent of Calgarians and Edmontonians doubt they will ever be able to afford a home in their city. Which raises the question: how much longer can this go on?
Albertaās housing affordability problem reflects a simple realityānot enough homes have been built to accommodate the provinceās growing population. The result? More Albertans competing for the same homes and rental units, pushing prices higher.
Population growth has always been volatile in Alberta, but the recent surge, fuelled by record levels of immigration, is unprecedented. Alberta has set new population growth records every year since 2022, culminating in the largest-ever increase of 186,704 new residents in 2024ānearly 70 per cent more than the largest pre-pandemic increase in 2013.
Homebuilding has increased, butĀ not enoughĀ to keep pace with the rise in population. In 2024, construction started on 47,827 housing unitsāthe most since 48,336 units in 2007 when population growth was less than half of what it was in 2024.
Moreover, from 1972 to 2019, Alberta added 2.1 new residents (on average) for every housing unit started compared to 3.9 new residents for every housing unit started in 2024. Put differently, today nearly twice as many new residents are potentially competing for each new home compared to historical norms.
While Alberta attracts more Canadians from other provinces than any otherĀ province, federal immigration and residency policies drive AlbertaāsĀ population growth. So while the provincial government has little control over its population growth, provincial and municipal governments can affect the pace of homebuilding.
For example, recent provincial amendments to theĀ city chartersĀ in Calgary and Edmonton have helped standardize building codes, which should minimize cost and complexity for builders who operate across different jurisdictions. Municipal zoning reforms inĀ Calgary,Ā EdmontonĀ andĀ Red DeerĀ have made it easier to build higher-density housing, andĀ LethbridgeĀ andĀ Medicine HatĀ may soon follow suit. These changes should make it easier and faster to build homes, helping Alberta maintain some of theĀ least restrictiveĀ building rules and quickest approval timelines in Canada.
There is, however, room for improvement. Policymakers at both the provincial and municipal level should streamline rules for building, reduce regulatory uncertainty and development costs, and shorten timelines for permit approvals. Calgary, for instance, imposesĀ feesĀ on developers to fund a wide array ofĀ public infrastructureāincluding roads, sewers, libraries, even busesāwhile Edmonton currently only imposes fees to fund the construction of newĀ firehalls.
Itās difficult to say how long Albertaās housing affordability woes will endure, but the situation is unlikely to improve unless homebuilding increases, spurred by government policies that facilitate more development.
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