Saskatoon city council to ask province to limit gathering sizes in the city

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City council wants the provincial government to institute a public health order limiting gathering sizes in Saskatoon.

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The request comes as part of the new COVID-19 framework the city has adopted.

“We’re using our voice to bring this forward in a very structured way based on the advice of our local MHOs (medical health officers). We’ve heard from the premier that he wants cities to work with local MHOs to figure out what steps are needed in order to keep our community safe,” Mayor Charlie Clark said.

During a special council meeting called Wednesday, it was agreed that Clark will send a letter asking the province to limit gatherings at event facilities, casinos, bingo halls, theatres, art galleries, libraries and recreational facilities to 150 people or one third of the current capacity — whichever is less. It will ask for a limit of 150 people at public indoor and outdoor gatherings with physical distancing in place.

The letter will also ask for a limit of 15 people at private gatherings, which includes household gatherings.

If an event or facility requires people to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to entering, that event would be exempted from the gathering restrictions, the letter will propose.

The letter will state that the city would like the current province-wide masking mandate to remain in place.

Clark said it puts the city in a challenging situation if the province doesn’t impose a limit to gatherings.

“Certainly this is a situation where it is best managed through a provincial public health order. Our tools are limited for us to be able to enact regulations similar to this, but we’re going to have to cross that bridge if we come to it,” he said.

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The city is just one entity among many entities calling for additional measures to fight the spread of COVID-19. The Saskatchewan Medical Association, the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, and Saskatchewan Health Authority executives are all calling for more action from the provincial government.

Saskatoon’s pandemic chief of staff and respirologist Dr. Mark Fenton spoke to council at Wednesday’s meeting.

“I think it’s safe to say that over the last three months our population has proven that we need rules and not encouragements to limit the spread of COVID-19,” Fenton said.

Health Minister Paul Merriman didn’t say whether the government would agree to impose a limit on gatherings at a news conference Wednesday.

“We haven’t had the time to be able to review that but we certainly will review that and get an answer back to the council but I applaud the city council for being proactive and looking after their community and we’ll consider that recommendation when it’s officially brought forward to us,” said Merriman.

At its Sept. 27 meeting, council adopted a new, colour-coded framework for dealing with COVID-19. Right now, Saskatoon is at a high-risk level orange.

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