The Government of Saskatchewan issued a statement today that all provincial orders regarding standards and restrictions implemented due to the COVID-19 virus are to take top priority over any municipal orders issued at this time.
The statement comes after the City of Regina issued an emergency order for the municipality that differed from the provincial orders already set in place.
“I fully understand that Mayor Fougere and Regina City Council intended to set guidelines for residents of Regina to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” said government relations minister Lori Carr in a press release. “However, at this time of great uncertainty, it is of the utmost importance that we provide certainty to Saskatchewan residents and make every effort to minimize confusion.”
The clarification from the government is a blanket reminder to all municipalities in the province.
All emergency orders from the province are being made based on the advice of Saskatchewan’s chief medical officer, said Carr in the press release, and should be followed over the orders of the municipality.
Municipalities are expected to uphold the provincial measures to avoid confusion among residents, and the government is working with the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association and Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities to provide clear lines of communications moving forward with updates.
