22.6°C Vancouver

Apr 7, 2021 9:29 PM -

Alberta church shut down, fenced off for ignoring COVID-19 health restrictions

Share On
alberta-church-shut-down-fenced-off-for-ignoring-covid-19-health-restrictions
File - Free Reformed Church is seen as people attend Sunday Service, in Chilliwack, B.C., on Sunday, February 21, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Metal fences have been put up around the GraceLife church just west of Edmonton and Alberta Health Services says it will stay closed until it complies with COVID-19 health rules.

The church has ignored public health warnings for months, and its pastor spent a month in jail.

Churches are allowed to be open at 15 per cent capacity, but officials say hundreds of people have attended GraceLife's services.

Several doctors say public-health restrictions introduced by government are not enough

Several doctors from Calgary and Edmonton say that with cases involving COVID-19 variants doubling every week, public-health restrictions introduced by the Alberta government are not enough to reduce the spread of the virus.

Dr. James Talbot, co-chair of the COVID-19 committee with the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association, says the restrictions on indoor restaurant dining and retail customer limits announced yesterday won't reduce the stress on hospitals and intensive care units.

Another expert with the University of Calgary says in order to get the curve bending downward, there needs to be another shutdown like the one imposed last spring.

Latest news

AlbertaJun 02, 2026

Rainfall warning in effect for Calgary as officials monitor river levels and flood risk

A rainfall warning remains in effect for Calgary as Environment and Climate Change Canada says the city could see additional precipitation before conditions gradually improve. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, Calgary may receive about 10 millimetres of rain today, with heavier rainfall expected to taper into showers later in the day. The agency warns that water may pool on roads and in low-lying areas as the system continues to move through the region. The Calgary Fire Department says flows in the Bow and Elbow rivers are approaching levels it describes as roughly twice the
surrey-police-board-confirms-departure-of-chief-constable-norm-lipinski
BCJun 02, 2026

Surrey Police Board confirms departure of Chief Constable Norm Lipinski

The Surrey Police Board has confirmed that Chief Constable Norm Lipinski has stepped down from his position with the Surrey Police Service (SPS). According to a statement from the board, Deputy Chief Constable Todd Matsumoto has been appointed interim Chief Constable effective immediately. The board said the leadership transition will not affect public safety operations or policing services in Surrey. The board also stated that a recruitment process to select a permanent Chief Constable will begin shortly. Further details on the hiring process are expected to be released in the coming weeks. L
ford-pushes-back-after-trump-again-refers-to-canada-as-51st-state
CanadaJun 02, 2026

Ford Pushes Back After Trump Again Refers to Canada as ‘51st State’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pushing back against renewed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who once again referred to Canada as the “51st state” in a social media post Tuesday. In a post on X, Ford said Canada “will never be the 51st state” and is “not for sale.” His comments came after Trump shared a Bloomberg report about Canada's economy and described the country as the “51st State.” The post was later reshared by U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra, drawing further attention to Trump's remarks. According to the social media posts, Trump’s references to Canad
prince-george-man-sentenced-after-pleading-guilty-in-intimate-partner-violence-case
BCJun 02, 2026

Prince George man sentenced after pleading guilty in intimate partner violence case

A Prince George man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple assault-related offences connected to intimate partner violence, according to the Prince George RCMP. Police said 47-year-old Ryan Timothy Chiappe pleaded guilty in April 2026 to two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of assault. The charges stemmed from an investigation launched in the fall of 2024 after a victim came forward with information regarding intimate partner violence. According to the RCMP, investigators with the Prince George Serious Crimes Unit conducted a detailed investigation with the coo
alberta-premier-danielle-smith-to-meet-quebec-counterpart-on-energy-trade-and-provincial-autonomy
AlbertaJun 02, 2026

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to meet Quebec counterpart on energy, trade and provincial autonomy

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is scheduled to meet with Quebec officials this week as discussions continue on energy development, trade, investment and provincial autonomy. Meetings planned for Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to include talks with Quebec Economic Development Minister Christine Fréchette and other provincial representatives. According to Smith's office, the discussions will focus on strengthening economic ties between provinces and exploring opportunities for greater interprovincial cooperation. Smith said Quebec may revisit discussions about developing its natural gas res

Related News