Mayor Naheed Nenshi said the closures and reductions in the city in light of COVID-19 have resulted in a loss in revenue that’s in the “many millions,” with Calgary Transit already seeing upwards of an $8 million/month shortfall.
That, paired with the closure of many services and facilities like rec centres, has led the city to start laying off a large number of temporary and part-time employees.
“This is not an action that we wanted to take but we needed to,” city manager Dave Duckworth said Monday.
“I want to stress that these are not permanent reductions. Taking this step ensures that our employees who are impacted by this decision can be eligible for supports that are in place by other orders of government.”
According to Nenshi, the staff being laid off are mostly from the recreation department. He said about one-third will receive two weeks’ notice, some will receive more than two weeks’ worth and one third will receive upwards of two weeks’ notice.
In addition to the services that have been cancelled, with Calgary Transit has also seen a drastic reduction in ridership. Nenshi said buses have seen an about 60 per cent dip and train riders have gone down by about 80 per cent.
He also said that on a typical basis, there are about 200 people off work Calgary Transit for various reasons, like illness or having time off. These days, it’s more like 600-700 people not coming to work because of the virus.
As a result, Nenshi said the city is looking at making route adjustments in the coming days so the service can keep up with drivers.
Nenshi said the city doesn’t have plans to lay off full-time staff right now, adding that about 4,500 people are working from home.
Education over enforcement
The City of Calgary said it’s not looking toward enforcement of health orders in light of COVID-19, instead focusing on educating the public on best practices.
While other municipalities in Canada have taken to issuing tickets to those who ignore emergency orders, such as not using public playgrounds, Calgary Emergency Management Agency chief Tom Sampson said Monday that won’t be happening in the city for now.
“It’s not about enforcement right now, it’s about talking to people and having them understand that you, the citizens of Calgary, can determine whether we have luck pushing this virus or whether conversely, we have a problem,” Sampson said.
Weekend roadway changes
This past weekend, the city made some roadway changes to accommodate those who are getting around by walking or riding bikes, instead of vehicles right now.
Roads were closed near pathways to extend those spaces, allowing walkers and riders to effectively social distance from others.
The city said those who were out using those paths and roadways were doing so properly, but the mayor said Calgarians shouldn’t view these closures as encouragement to flock to public spaces.
“This is not COVID-fest 2020,” Nenshi said.
He said people are encouraged to get outside, get some fresh air and exercise, but should do their best to do so in their own neighbourhood.
“Don’t drive to walk,” he said, adding that if you are driving to a park or walking trail and you arrive to find a full parking lot, move on.
Residents can expect more information on further roadway changes during the pandemic in the coming days.
Calgarians can also look forward to information on when the annual spring clean-up will go ahead.
Alberta had 661 cases of COVID-19 as of Sunday, March 29, a large majority of which were in the Calgary zone: 408.
The province is also seeing a growing number of cases spreading within the community, leading provincial officials to introduce new, stronger measures to limit that spread, like the closure of all non-essential services.
Last week, the city also introduced more restrictions, closing outdoor sport facilities and personal care businesses.
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