Rally against lifting of COVID-19 restrictions hosted outside Alberta legislature Saturday

Protesters rally against COVID-19 isolation ending A rally was held again in Edmonton in reaction to the government's decision to lift its remaining COVID-19 restrictions next month.

EDMONTON — Approximately 200 people attended a rally at the Alberta legislature grounds Saturday as many continued to voice frustration and fear at the province’s plan to lift remaining COVID-19 restrictions next month.

On Wednesday, the province announced it was shifting its public health response and lifting a number of measures related to quarantine, isolation, testing, and masks.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro said the changes in pandemic posture follow a rise in vaccination numbers.

"The data shows that what the vaccines are doing is making it less infectious and less deadly. That's a good thing that allows us to move to that endemic response."

Albert Nobbes, event organizer and Alberta Activist Collective member, told CTV News Edmonton the rally was focused on giving people a way to channel their frustration.

The organizer hoped the rally would bring people together and exchange concerns about how the shift in provincial policy will affect their pandemic experience.

“There’s enough misinformation in the air that the only thing we can really do is talk to each other,” Nobbes said.

“We need to get this message out,” he added. “We can’t let this government proceed with dropping the ball in every angle.

“We need them to step up their game.”

The group plans to host more protests on Sunday and Monday.

“We have no intention of stopping,” Nobbes said.

Similar rallies were hosted in Calgary on Saturday and across the province on Friday as well.