WINNIPEG – COVID-19 Update – The Manitoba government is extending the provincewide state of emergency to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and further protect Manitobans, Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler, minister responsible for the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization, announced today.
The extension goes into effect today, Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. for a period of 30 days.
“This extension marks the one-year implementation of Manitoba’s state of emergency and has been the longest period in a state of emergency in the province’s history,” said Schuler. “Our government recognizes that there is still a lot of work to be done against the fight of COVID-19 and will continue to take the necessary precautions for the health and safety of all Manitobans.”
On January 22, 2020, Manitoba’s Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) issued a Situation Notification to government departments, federal entities and external partners noting the emergency of COVID-19. The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Manitoba’s EMO staff pre-activated the Manitoba Emergency Co-ordination Centre (MECC) on March 13, 2020, in preparation for its formal activation on March 16, 2020, to facilitate co-ordination of the provincial response in support of Health Incident Command and for intergovernmental collaboration. The MECC has been operating ever since.
EMO has also been a critical player across Manitoba’s COVID-19 response including facilitating the province’s overall response to personal protective equipment procurement and provision, developing the Pandemic Response System, ensuring alternative isolation accommodations were available, and advising on and enforcing co-ordination of public health orders under the state of emergency. It also facilitates the federal/provincial engagement to military support in First Nations communities.
The state of emergency was first declared on March 20, 2020, by the powers set out in section 10(1) and 10(2) of the Emergency Measures Act.
