Calgary business owners relieved at prospect of the REP ending

Fumbling around for your phone or swiping through your camera roll when entering establishments may be coming to an end.

The Alberta UCP announced the Restrictions Exemption Program (REP) may be over in a matter of days.

BREAKING:

Premier Kenney says COVID cabinet will approve a plan early next week for the careful lifting of health measures, beginning with vaccine passport program. #yeg #Yyc #ableg #Covid19ab

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) February 4, 2022

This has business owners and staff in Calgary breathing a sigh of relief.

“It’s a great thing for the hospitality industry, I think it needs to come to an end. I’m glad that they’ve bumped it up,” said Jeff Jamieson, the co-owner of Donna Mac & Proof.

“My opinion is that the timing is fantastic.”

Members of the hospitality and fitness industry have shared frustrations, saying they feel like they have gotten the short end of the stick during the pandemic.

“I do think restaurants and fitness facilities like my own have been unfairly targeted in this whole last two years in the shutdowns,” explained Kristin Jostad, the owner of Passage Studios.

“When you can go to Walmart and be around 300 people or Costco and be around 600 people, but you can’t come into a studio with 25 people, it’s really disheartening.”

Ernie Tsu, the president of the Alberta Hospitality Association, echoed that sentiment.

“I think our whole industry is happy to get back to being able to operate at 100 per cent with no restrictions. There has been no scientific data to back up any restrictions against the only targeted industry, which is hospitality right now.”

The decision to lift the REP is being supported by members of the UCP government including Minister of Environment and Parks, Jason Nixon.

Related article:

Prospect of vaccine passports being nixed draws mixed feelings

“My position on vaccine mandates is that they need to end,” he said in a statement.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has also taken the possible removal of restrictions to a new level, saying in a Facebook Live on Thursday he would look into amending the Municipal Government Act to prevent municipalities from implementing their own mask or vaccine mandates.

Here's the full question and answer from Premier Kenney where he says he would take a look at amending the Municipal Government Act to prevent municipalities from implementing their own mask or vaccine mandates. #yeg #Yyc #ableg #Covid19ab pic.twitter.com/ohkO0DIf4x

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) February 4, 2022

However, the opposition NDP Health Critic David Shepherd says public health decisions must be made based on science, and not on the never-ending political melodrama of the UCP.

But Calgary business owners say that staff and customers are looking forward to the restrictions ending.

“I don’t have a single staff member that has any concern about that,” said Jamieson.