WINNIPEG -- The City of Winnipeg won’t yet implement a state of local emergency to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But, Jay Shaw, City of Winnipeg emergency operations manger, says one could be declared if the city determined it was warranted.
“We’re working in lock step with the province of Manitoba assessing every day, communicating, and if there is a need for us to declare a state of local emergency, we will do so,” he told reporters Tuesday afternoon.
Manitoba has been under a 30-day state of emergency since March 20.
Shaw says the decision to declare a state of local emergency would be taken if the city felt they needed additional powers to help handle the pandemic.
“If we feel that we need to go there, we absolutely will,” he said. “It’s day-by-day at this point.”
Mayor Brian Bowman says any decision on the declaration would be based on the advice of public health officials.
He once again urged Manitobans to follow the advice of the province with respect to physical distancing.
“They need to be followed, and they need to be followed because it’s going to help us – as you’ve heard- flatten the curve,” he said. “It’s going to help us protect ourselves, as well as residents in the city that we all call come.”
Manitoba has 21 confirmed and probable positive cases of COVID-19 as of Tuesday.
