David Shepherd, NDP Critic for Health, made the following statement:

“Alberta’s daily COVID-19 case count is 696, including 130 variant cases. This is a steep rise from yesterday’s number of 505. We have not seen a daily number like this for more than two months, since January 16.

“This is very worrying and I know many Albertans will be asking if this is an outlier or a signal of a third wave. I’m very disappointed that there are no government officials available to answer that question or the many other questions that Albertans may have.

“Today’s numbers come roughly two weeks after the Step 2 re-opening measures and this dramatic growth of COVID-19 comes only days before Jason Kenney is scheduled to make a decision about Step 3 re-opening. His language over this past week certainly suggests to me that he plans to proceed.

“Albertans have a right to all the data and all of the expert advice that will go into that decision. And so I call on Jason Kenney to release all of the internal modelling data and Dr. Deena Hinshaw’s written recommendations to the cabinet when he announces his decision 72 hours from now.”