OLDS — Town officials were asked what they could do if business owners defied COVID restrictions as the co-owners of an Innisfail barbershop did.
Coun. Mary Anne Overwater raised the question during town council’s Jan. 11 meeting.
She noted that last weekend, a story in the MountainViewToday.ca and now published in The Albertan quoted Bladez 2 Fadez Barbershop co-owners Natalie Klein and husband Yanik Brazeau.
They said they were opening in defiance of the restrictions because they felt they had no option; that their business could not survive otherwise.
Effective Dec. 8, barbering and hair-styling businesses were ordered closed for 28 days. On Jan. 7, that order was extended for another two weeks. The province announced last week that hair-stylists and barbershops could re-open by appointment only starting Jan. 18.
“How do we sort of feel that we’re going to be able to handle stuff like that? Because I can see businesses doing that. Because I don’t really think it’s the businesses that are appointments only that are increasing the number of cases,” Overwater said.
Chief administrative officer Michael Merritt; Brian Powell, the town’s director of emergency management; and Olds Fire Department Chief Justin Andrew all said complaints about such violations are to be relayed to Alberta Health Services (AHS) first and if necessary, AHS will refer it to local RCMP or peace officers.
"All of this is handled by AHS directly and then they contact municipal enforcement or the RCMP to assist in the enforcement if it’s required," Andrew said.
“But education is the primary means of their communication that they have, right from the get-go -- unless they’re not going to receive the benefit of the education and getting compliance that way. Then it does get stepped up. So hopefully that’s where it’ll stay.”
