The province will be closely watched by others as Canada weighs economic impact of the pandemic
As the world prepares for a historic recession, one Canadian province has announced plans to get back to work to limit the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe and chief medical health officer Dr. Saqib Shahab announced the reopening plan Thursday but warned that lifting restrictions too fast is not an option.
The province will slowly begin easing the lockdown restrictions from May 4, but this will only be the first of five phases.
“Over the next several weeks, restrictions will be gradually lifted by adding more types of businesses to the allowable businesses list, meaning that they can re-open if they so choose,” Moe said. “All businesses and public venues will be required to continue following physical distancing and cleaning and disinfection practices to protect both employees and customers.”
Physical distancing will remain in place and those who are showing symptoms of COVID-19 will still be expected to self-isolate at home.
Worsening economic outlook
Saskatchewan’s plan to allow more of the economy to begin its long road to recovery comes as a panel of global economists said they expected the world’s economy to contract by 2.0% this year.
The Reuters poll of more than 500 economists reveals the speed at which the outlook is worsening; just three weeks’ ago the expectation was for a 1.2% contraction and as recently as March 20, growth of 1.6% was forecasted.
“The global economy is collapsing at a pace not seen since World War Two,” Michael Hanson, senior global economist at JPMorgan told Reuters, adding that recovery should rebound quicker than in a typical recession but activity would be impacted until the end of 2021.
Most of the economists polled thought that a U-shaped recovery was the most likely.
Slow reopening
For Saskatchewan, the gradual reopening of businesses will begin with medical services and the resumption of some low-risk outdoor recreational activities.
For non-essential retailers and some personal services, it will be May 19 before they are allowed to get back to work. Even then, they will be required to maintain strict physical distancing measures and both private and public gatherings will be limited to 10 people.
The three remaining phases of reopening have no set dates currently but will include incremental increases in the allowable size of gatherings. Gyms, restaurants, licensed establishments, and childcare facilities are expected to reopen in the third phase although there will be restrictions to maintain physical distancing.
Long-term restrictions
The impact on transmission of the coronavirus will be monitored at each stage and some long-term restrictions will remain for “the foreseeable future.”
These will include school closures and large gatherings.
Earlier this week, the Ontario premier talked of loosening restrictions but said that any plans would be based on the health of the province’s residents.
Doug Ford called the response to the pandemic “the fight of our lives” and said any lifting of restrictions would be a “trickle” rather than an opening of the floodgates.
