COVID-19 orders and legislation

Order 51-2021 – amends the proof of vaccination section of Order 45-2021 to clarify Restrictions Exemption Program requirements for vaccine records from other provinces and for international travellers (November 23, 2021)

Order 50-2021 – introduces the QR code requirement for the Restrictions Exemption Program (November 16, 2021)

Order 46-2021 – outlines Restriction Exemption Program conditions for quick service restaurants (October 7, 2021)

• Order 40-2021 – outlined indoor masking requirements and time limits on alcohol service (September 4, 2021)
  • Note: this order was modified by Order 41-2021 (September 14, 2021)

Order 35-2021 – isolation and quarantine requirements for individuals with COVID-19 symptoms or who have been exposed to a COVID-19 case. The order also included modified requirements for individuals who are partially or fully vaccinated. (July 1, 2021).

Order 32-2021 – outlined updated operational and outbreak standards for licensed supportive living, long term care and hospice settings. (June 14, 2021)

Order 16-2021 – outlined conditions that must be met to allow visitors to a long-term care, licensed supportive living facility or any residential facility offering hospice services. (April 26, 2021)

• Order 33-2021 – outlined COVID-19 masking restrictions for Stage 2 of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan.
• Order 31-2021 – outlined COVID-19 measures for Stage 2 of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan.

Order 30-2021 – outlined COVID-19 measures for Stage 1 of Alberta’s Open for Summer Plan.

Order 26-2021 – outlined the isolation requirements for asymptomatic persons and established isolation and quarantine requirements for partially or fully vaccinated persons who are close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19. (May 21, 2021)

Order 22-2021 – required anyone wishing to verify that they have a medical condition that makes them unable to wear a mask to obtain a medical exception letter from a health professional. (May 13, 2021)

• Order 19-2021 – outlined COVID-19 measures for areas with 50 or more active cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 and 30 or more active cases.
• Order 20-2021 – outlined COVID-19 measures for areas with fewer than 50 active cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 and 30 active cases.
  • Order 21-2021 – modified Order 20-2021 by limiting the measure related to workplace closures to high case areas only.
  • Order 25-2021 – modified Order 20-2021 by removing the Municipal District of Provost No. 52 from section 10 of Appendix A.
• Order 24-2021 – modified Orders 19-2021 and 20-2021 by permitting drive-in activities provincewide.

The following orders were rescinded by Order 19-2021:

• Order 12-2021 – implemented additional changes to previous measures on gathering limits, masking and business restrictions (April 19, 2021)
• Order 14-2021 – prohibited indoor group activities for youths in grades 7 to 12 for the municipalities of Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray (April 22, 2021)
• Order 15-2021 – prohibited indoor group activities for youths in Kindergarten to grade 6 for the municipality of Fort McMurray (April 26, 2021)
• Order 17-2021 – outlined targeted COVID-19 measures for hot spot areas – municipalities or communities where there were at least 350 cases per 100,000 people and 250 active cases (April 30, 2021)

Order 10-2021 (April 9, 2021) was rescinded by Order 12-2021.

Order 08-2021 – rescinded Order 04-2021 and implemented changes to public health measures (April 8, 2021).

• modified by Order 09-2021 (April 8, 2021)
• rescinded by Order 10-2021

Order 07-2021 – outlined updated operational and outbreak standards for residential addiction treatment service facilities and rescinded Appendix A and Appendix B of Order 13-2020. (April 27, 2021)

Order 05-2021 – amended Order 04-2021 with the following changes (March 8, 2021):

• increased occupancy limits for retail businesses to 25% of fire code (up from 15%)
• eased restrictions for college and university program athletics
• eased restrictions for child, youth and adult performance activities
• allowed banquet halls, community halls, hotels and conference centres to reopen for activities permitted under Steps 1 and 2

Order 04-2021 – set out a number of public health measures effective across the province to limit the risk of transmission (March 1, 2021).

• This order was rescinded by Order 08-2021 (April 8, 2021).

Order 03-2021 – introduced COVID-19 variant of concern outbreak protocols for all licensed supportive living, long-term care and hospice settings (February 24, 2021).

Order 02-2021 – set out a number of public health measures effective across the province to limit the risk of transmission (February 8, 2021).

The following orders were rescinded by Order 02-2021:

• Order 01-2021 – amended Order 42-2020 by permitting:
  • outdoor social gatherings of 10 people or fewer
  • funeral ceremony attendance of 20 people or fewer
  • personal and wellness services to reopen by appointment only
• Order 44-2020 – allowed for counselling services and a visit at home between a person who is at the end of their life and a family member, friend, faith leader or other person. It also provided clarity on group physical activities (December 23, 2020)
• Order 42-2020 – set out a number of public health measures effective across the province to limit the risk of transmission (December 11, 2020)

Order 43-2020 allowed for a visit at home between a person who is at the end of their life and a family member, friend, faith leader or other person.

• This order was rescinded by Order 44-2020 (December 23, 2020)

Order 41-2020 – prohibited indoor and outdoor social gatherings and made masks mandatory provincewide (December 8, 2020).

Order 37-2020 – introduced the following public health measures for communities on the enhanced watch list (November 12, 2020):

• Restaurants, pubs, bars and other facilities with a Class A, B or C liquor license stopped selling liquor at 10 p.m. and closed at 11 p.m. Take-out and delivery services were still permitted after this time.
• Wedding and funeral ceremonies were limited to a maximum of 50 people, regardless of whether the event was held indoor or outdoors.

Previous modifications to Order 37-2020:

• Order 38-2020 – rescinded part 3 of Order 37-2020 regarding private residences, private social gathering, places of worship, and masks (November 24, 2020).
• Order 39-2020 – rescinded parts 1, 2 and 4 of Order 37-2020 regarding businesses and entities, restaurants, cafes, bars and pubs, group physical activity and group performance activity (November 27, 2020).
• Order 40-2020 –  amended Orders 38-2020 and 39-2020 regarding places of worship (November 28, 2020).

Order 36-2020 – limited all private social gatherings to a maximum of 15 people in an area on the COVID-19 relaunch status map where the active case rate for the region was identified as 50 or greater (per 100,000 population) or where the active cases for the region was identified as 10 or greater (November 6, 2020)

• This order was rescinded by Order 38-2020 (November 24, 2020)

Order 34-2020 – removed restrictions on public access to businesses, schools and places of worship. Remaining businesses listed in the order remained closed to the public: amusement parks, indoor children’s play centres and nightclubs (September 23, 2020)

Note: Order 34-2020 amended Order 25-2020 by permitting indoor children’s play centres to open.

Order 33-2020 – outlined the requirement for non-medical mask use for Grade 4 to 12 students, all staff, and visitors in indoor spaces including on school buses and shared areas such as hallways. (August 31, 2020)

Order 30-2020 – prohibited Misericordia Community Hospital’s staff members and contracted providers from delivering in-person services at another health care facility for the duration of the outbreak of COVID-19 at the Misericordia (July 14, 2020)

• This order was rescinded by Order 31-2020 (August 14, 2020).

Order 29-2020 – rescinded Order 14-2020 and outlined conditions required to allow visitors to a long-term care, licensed supportive living facility or any residential facility offering hospice services (July 16, 2020).

• Rescinded by Order 16-2021.

Order 26-2020 – outlined the mandatory physical distancing requirement of at least 2 metres from every other person who is not a member of the same household or cohort. (June 26, 2020)

Order 25-2020 – outlined permission for Albertans to attend certain locations or places and engage in certain activities where the risk of COVID-19 transmission could be mitigated if persons adhered to public health measures and guidelines. (June 12, 2020)

• Order 18-2020 – permitted attendance at certain locations and places, including retail businesses, restaurants and museums daycares, out-of-school care and post-secondary institutions, provided persons adhere to public health measures and guidance. This Order applied throughout the province of Alberta, with some exceptions within the cities of Calgary and Brooks (May 14, 2020)
• Order 19-2020 – permitted attendance at certain locations and places, including retail businesses and museums effective May 14; and restaurants, hair salons and others effective May 25, provided persons adhere to public health measures and guidance. This Order applied within the cities of Calgary and Brooks (May 14, 2020)
• Order 20-2020 – permitted attendance of up to 50 people in a group, in an outdoor location, provided persons adhere to public health measures and guidance (May 15, 2020)

Previous exemptions and modifications to orders 18-2020 and 19-2020

• Exemption: Farmer’s market operators (May 15, 2020)
• Exemption: Places of worship (May 15, 2020)
• Modifications: Order 21-2020 and Order 22-2020 – rescinded section 11 of Order 18-2020 and sections 6 and 19 of Order 19-2020 for operators to create and post a plan to meet the requirements of the orders (May 15 and 16, 2020)
• Exemption: Operation of indoor firearm gun ranges operated in recreational or entertainment businesses (May 25, 2020)
• Modifications: Order 24-2020 – allowed preschool programs to operate provided public health measures and other guidance are followed (May 27, 2020)
• Exemption: Operation of day camps operated in recreational or entertainment businesses (May 28, 2020)
• Exemption: Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club (June 8, 2020)
• Exemption: Calgary Flames Hockey Club (June 8, 2020)

Order 16-2020 – amended Order 07-2020 to allow the resumption of non-essential health services to Albertans (May 3, 2020)

Order 13-2020 – outlined updated operational and outbreak standards for residential addiction treatment service facilities (April 28, 2020)

• Note: this order was replaced by Order 27-2020 (July 3, 2020).
• Note: this order removed residential addiction treatment services facilities from the scope of Order 09-2020 and Order 10-2020.
• Exemptions and clarifications: Operators of licensed residential addiction treatment facilities (March 30, 2020)

Order 11-2020 – required the Calgary Airport Authority and the Edmonton Regional Airports Authority to implement public health measures related to cleaning, disinfecting and physical distancing. It further required the airport authorities to enable passenger screening of travellers returning from international locations. (May 20, 2020)

Order 07-2020 – prohibited gatherings of more than 15 people and new restrictions for close contact businesses, dine-in restaurants and retail services (March 27, 2020)
Previous exemptions and clarifications to Order 07:

• Operators of industrial work camps (March 30, 2020)
• Operators of shelters and temporary or transitional housing facilities (March 30, 2020)
• Outdoor places - gatherings by members of the same household (April 4, 2020)
• Flood response – Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (April 28, 2020)
• Edmonton Oilers Hockey Club (June 8, 2020)
• Calgary Flames Hockey Club (June 8, 2020)

• Order 05-2020 (modified by Order 28-2020 on July 3, 2020 and clarified on August 27, 2020) – required any person who is a confirmed case of COVID-19 be in isolation for a minimum of 10 days from the start of their symptoms, or until symptoms resolve, and required any person entering Alberta after having travelled internationally, or is a close contact of a confirmed cased to quarantine for a minimum 14 day period. (March 25, 2020)
  • Exemption: Quarantined and isolated persons who require COVID-19 testing or critical care for pre-existing medical conditions or emergency care (April 1, 2020)
  • Exemption: Quarantined and isolated persons who have minor children that require medical care (April 13, 2020)
  • Exemption: Quarantined and isolated persons who have adult dependents that require medical care (May 14, 2020)
  • Exemption: Quarantined and isolated family and support persons for obstetrical patients (June 10, 2020)
  • Exemption: Farm workers (July 23, 2020)
  • Clarification: Certain circumstances where isolation or quarantine are not required (August 27, 2020)
  • Exemption: Individuals under 18 years of age (November 2, 2020)
  • Exemption: COVID-19 Border Testing Pilot Program (November 4, 2020)

Order 02-2020 – prohibited attendance at public recreational facilities, private entertainment facilities, bars and nightclubs, and gatherings of more than 50 people (March 17, 2020)
Previous modifications to Order 02:

• Order 15-2020 – removed the prohibition from attending a golf course, for the purpose of playing golf (May 1, 2020)
• Order 17-2020 – removed the prohibition from attending an outdoor shooting range (May 5, 2020)

Order 01-2020 – prohibited attendance at early childhood service programs, daycares, out-of-school care, preschool programs, post-secondary institutions and other educational settings in Alberta (March 16, 2020)

See fact sheet: Supporting Alberta's forest sector through COVID-19 (June 1, 2020).

• Ministerial order no. 13/2020 (Agriculture and Forestry) – modifies sections of the Forests Act to suspend limitation periods, due to the state of public health emergency in Alberta, so the Ministry can focus its resources on responding to public emergencies, providing essential services to the public, and supporting the continued economic viability of the forest industry (June 4, 2020)
  • Note: this ministerial order was repealed by ministerial order no. 27/2020 (June 15, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 14/2020 (Agriculture and Forestry) – modifies sections of the Forest and Prairie Protection Act to suspend limitation periods, due to the state of public health emergency in Alberta, so the Ministry can focus its resources on responding to public emergencies, providing essential services to the public, and supporting the continued economic viability of the forest industry (June 4, 2020)
  • Note: this ministerial order was repealed by ministerial order no. 27/2020 (June 15, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 25/2020 (Agriculture and Forestry) – modifies sections of the Timber Management Regulation to suspend the application or operation of parts of the Regulation, due to the state of public health emergency in Alberta and the associated requirements and limitations, because timber disposition holders are unable to satisfy reforestation requirements during the 2020-21 timber year (June 15, 2020)
  • Note: this ministerial order repeals ministerial order no. 15/2020 (May 8, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 26/2020 (Agriculture and Forestry) – modifies sections of the Timber Management Regulation to suspend the application or operation of parts of the Regulation, due to the state of public health emergency in Alberta and the associated requirements and limitations, because the deferral of certain charges supports the continued economic viability of operators in the forest industry (June 15, 2020)
  • Note: this ministerial order repeals ministerial order no. 16/2020 (May 8, 2020)

• Ministerial order no. 16/2020 (Income Support) and Ministerial order no. 17/2020 (AISH) (Community and Social Services) – allows Income Support and Assured Income for Severely Handicapped (AISH) recipients who have lost work and income because of COVID-19 to exempt a portion of the federal government's Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), if they receive it. This means a portion of the CERB payment will not affect their provincial benefits (April 23, 2020)

• Ministerial order no. 219/2020 (Energy) – suspends specific legislated reporting requirements for energy companies under the Coal Conservation Act, the Oil and Gas Conservation Act and the Oil Sands Conservation Act (April 6, 2020)
  • Note: MO 219/2020 is being repealed and replaced by ministerial order no. 328/2020. Reporting requirements will resume on July 15, 2020.

• Ministerial order no. 15/2020 (Environment and Parks) – modifies the deadlines to submit compliance reports and emission reduction plan reports under TIER (March 30, 2020)
  • Note: this ministerial order expires June 30, 2020.
• Ministerial order no. 16/2020 (Environment and Parks) – modifies report submission deadlines under the Renewable Fuels Standard Regulation (March 30, 2020)
  • Note: this ministerial order expires June 30, 2020.
• Ministerial order no. 17/2020 (Environment and Parks) – modifies the reporting requirements under the Environment Protection and Enhancement Act, the Water Act and the Public Lands Act (March 30, 2020)
  • Suspension of reporting requirements – correspondence to approval holders, registration holders, licence holders and disposition holders (March 30, 2020)
  • Temporary amendment of select Air Monitoring Directive requirements (March 31, 2020) expires July 15, 2020
  • Note: Ministerial order no. 17/2020 is being repealed and replaced by Ministerial order no. 32/2020. Reporting requirements will resume on July 15, 2020.
• Ministerial order no. 18/2020 (Environment and Parks) – establishes the Provincial Park and Recreation Area Access Restriction Order (March 27, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 20/2020 (Environment and Parks) – establishes the Public Land Access Restriction Order (March 30, 2020)
  • Note: this Ministerial Order rescinds and replaces Ministerial Order no. 19/2020

• Ministerial order no. 612/2020 (Health) – modifies the Public Health Act, defining those subject to isolation/quarantine (March 25, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 614/2020 (Health) – permits the Department of Health and designated employees of the Chief Medical Examiner to use Alberta Netcare to access and use prescribed health information pertaining to COVID-related Fatalities, in order to disclose such information to the Chief Medical Examiner under the Fatal Inquiry Regulation  (March 30, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 615/2020 (Health) – this Order modifies sections 73(2) and 73(3) of the Public Health Act, such that section 73(2) is suspended, and section 73(3) increases fines for persons found in contravention of the section (April 2, 2020)
  • Note: this Ministerial Order repealed Ministerial Order no. 613/2020, upon passage of the Public Health (Emergency Powers) Amendment Act, 2020
• Ministerial order no. 616/2020 (Health) – establishes the Calgary Homeless Foundation and HomeSpace Society to provide services to operate Lakeview Signature Suites an an isolation centre to serve individuals experiencing homelessness or who are home insecure and who have tested positive for COVID-19 (April 4, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 625/2020 (Health) – modifies the Public Health Act to allow the Chief Medical Officer of Health to require a health care facility operator to provide information related to the purpose of restricting the movement of staff members among health care facilities (April 17, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 006/2020 (Health) – enables nurse practitioners to act as primary care providers in nursing homes, admitting and assessing residents, as well as offering follow-up care. Changes will also enable nurse practitioners and other qualified health professionals to prescribe medication and order treatments in nursing homes, according to their scopes of practice (April 24, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 629/2020 (Health) – this Order was created to support CMOH Order 10-2020. This Order allows the Chief Medical Officer to require an operator to disclose information about their staff members, so long as it is related to the purpose of 1) identifying potential impacts to home care staffing, and 2) developing options to address any potential gaps in workforce supply in this sector (April 28, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 630/2020 (Health) – this Order amends section 52.6(1) of the Public Health Act, such that there is legislated employment protections for individuals who are required to be absent under CMOH 10-2020, from the threat of termination, restriction, and discrimination by their employer or contractor (April 28, 2020)
  • Note: this Ministerial order repeals Ministerial order no. 624/2020 (Health)
• Ministerial order no. 631/2020 (Health) – modifies the Communicable Diseases Regulation to allow additional health care practitioners to support medical officers of health and community health nurses under the Public Health Act, including COVID-19 related activities such as contact tracing (May 4, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 632/2020 (Health) – modifies the Public Health Act to authorize Alberta Health to share whether an individual named by a police service has received a COVID-19 test in the last 14 days, and if so, what the results of the test were. An individual’s results would only be shared where the individual deliberately tried to expose an officer to droplets by coughing or spitting at the officer and indicating they were COVID-19 positive (May 4, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 627/2020 (Health) – allows for provincial officers designated under the Public Health Act to undertake non-invasive health assessments and collect completed isolation questionnaires from passengers on arrival at the Edmonton and Calgary international airports from outside Canada. Also requires the airport authorities to provide the Chief Medical Officer of Health with information upon request regarding the specific measures an airport authority is taking to implement and report on the public health measures set out in CMOH Order 11-2020 (May 20, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 22/2020 (Health) – modifies the Nursing Homes Operation Regulation to delay the annual accommodation charge increase, which would otherwise take effect on July 1, 2020 (May 20, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 606/2020 (Health) – allows for provincial officers designated under the Public Health Act to undertake non-invasive health assessments and collect completed isolation questionnaires from passengers on arrival at the Coutts Provincial Checkpoint after passing through the Coutts Alberta/United States land border port of entry. It also provides for Alberta Health to share information collected via the isolation questionnaire with other government departments for education and enforcement purposes in compliance with the requirement to isolate or quarantine, as required by CMOH Order 05-2020 (June 1, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 645/2020 (Health) – authorizes clinical pharmacists, dental hygienists, dental assistants and dieticians to perform nasopharyngeal swabbing to test for COVID-19 (October 29, 2020)

• Ministerial order no. 24/2021 (Justice and Solicitor General) – peace officers listed in the order are authorized to enforce Alberta’s Health Act and the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s orders pertaining to COVID-19. The order is in effect for 90 days. (June 2, 2021)
• Ministerial order no. 25/2020 (Justice and Solicitor General) – extends expiry dates for licences under the Security Services and Investigations Act, during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 27, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 27/2020 (Justice and Solicitor General) – suspends limitation periods and periods of time within which any step must be taken in any proceeding or intended proceeding, from March 17 to June 1, 2020, due to conditions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic (March 30, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 29/2020 (Justice and Solicitor General) – allows for a guarantor to appear before a lawyer and execute a guarantee by means of two-way video-conferencing, related to the Guarantees Acknowledgement Act and the Guarantees Acknowledgement Forms Regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic (May 8, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 33/2020 (Justice and Solicitor General) - extends the terms of office of the chief judge and other judges appointed under Section 9.11 of the Provincial Court Act, to allow for continuity in leadership as the Provincial Court of Alberta develops and implements new procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (April 27, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 39/2020 (Justice and Solicitor General) – modifies sections of the Personal Directives Act, the Powers of Attorney Act and the Wills and Succession Act during the COVID-19 pandemic, to account for circumstances where it is not possible or medically safe for a maker, donor or testator to physically attend before a lawyer and sign a personal directive or power of attorney in the presence of a witness or a will in the presence of two witnesses (May 15, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 13/2021 (Justice and Solicitor General) – peace officers listed in the order are authorized to enforce Alberta’s Health Act and the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s orders pertaining to COVID-19. The order is in effect for 90 days. (March 4, 2021)

• Ministerial order no. 18/2020 (Labour and Immigration) – temporarily changes certain employment standards rules to help employers and employees adjust to rapidly-changing workplace conditions due to COVID-19, including a new job-protected leave for employees, scheduling flexibility, group termination notice requirements and a streamlined approval process for modifying employment standards rules (April 6, 2020)
  • Modification: Ministerial order no. 27/2020 (Labour and Immigration) – modifies clause 10 of ministerial order no. 18/2020 (May 12, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 26/2020 (Labour and Immigration) – in respect of the Labour Relations Code and Employment Standards Code, this order applies to employers at a health care facility described in Chief Medical Officer of Health Order 10-2020, issued under section 29 of the Public Health Act, related to a) work for more than one employer; or b) work at more than one worksite (April 24, 2020)
  • Note: this ministerial order repeals and replaces ministerial order no. 22/2020
• Ministerial order no. 21/2020 (Labour and Immigration) – modifies section 246 of the Occupational Health and Safety Code to add additional respiratory protective equipment as approved for required use at a work site (May 3, 2020)

• Ministerial order no. SA: 008/2020 (Service Alberta) – temporarily allows the Land Titles Office to register documents that have been witnessed, sworn or affirmed by Alberta lawyers using two-way videoconferencing (April 2, 2020)

• Ministerial order no. 23/20 (Transportation) – temporarily modifies and suspends parts of the Traffic Safety Act, Drivers' Hours of Service Regulation, Commercial Vehicle Dimension and Weight Regulation, Commercial Vehicle Certificate and Insurance Regulation, and Vehicle Inspection Regulation (April 2, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 24/20 (Transportation) – temporarily suspends parts of the Railway Regulation, Industrial Railway Regulation, and Heritage Railway Regulation (April 2, 2020)
• Ministerial order no. 32/20 (Transportation) – amends ministerial order no. 23/2020 and temporarily modifies the deadline under the Traffic Safety Act to file applications to the Alberta Transportation Safety Board and to file applications for judicial review of Alberta Transportation Safety Board decision (June 15, 2020)