Province says its emergency orders take precedence over municipal orders

The Government of Saskatchewan is looking to clear up any confusion regarding emergency orders in the province.

The town of Gravelbourg and City of Regina both issued their own list of restrictions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those orders carried stricter restrictions than those being implemented by the province.

Government Relations Minister Lori Carr clarified on Sunday that the province’s order will take precedence over any municipal one.

“If a community does make an order, we would request that they send it to us, we would evaluate it and if it actually contradicts the provincial one. We would do an order-and-cancel to actually cancel that order,” Carr said.

She said the City of Regina’s order would be looked at Monday morning to determine if it would be cancelled.

“I understand and respect what the community was doing and what they were trying to get through to their citizens,” Carr said. “Having said that, it’s really important that we ensure that there is not a patchwork of restrictions and standards. It is of the utmost importance that we maintain uniformity across Saskatchewan and reduce any level of confusion among our residents.”

Carr also said she has been in contact with the mayor of Gravelbourg and said he was aware the province’s order takes precedence in this case.

The provincial orders include all people who have travelled internationally to go into mandatory self-isolation for 14 days. Additionally, the closure of restaurants, food courts, cafeterias, cafes, bistros and similar facilities. Take-out and delivery options can still be set up for restaurants.