EDMONTON — Casinos in Alberta are to close immediately after Premier Jason Kenney declared a state of public emergency to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Other provinces — including British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Quebec — had already closed casinos, and Manitoba announced it will close its six casinos Wednesday.
Alberta's state of emergency declares that any gathering larger than 50 people must be cancelled.
It means casinos, bingo halls and bars will be closed along with any recreation facilities, museums and art galleries that were still open.
Council members in Calgary, where a local state of emergency was called Sunday, have been questioning why the Alberta government hadn't closed casinos earlier.
Kenney says the province will do whatever it takes to control the spread of the virus.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2020
The Canadian Press
