Ministry Defends Quarantine Powers -Silent on Wage Replacement and Job Protection
The Owl broke the news of the new mandatory quarantine requirements in the updated Communicable Diseases Regulation, via Order in Council 301. We asked the following questions of the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Health Services. We received a response this afternoon.
1. Why was this regulation needed now, given that the old regulation from 1985 already existed?
2. Did the minister read this regulation before recommending it? If so, what parts did he personally focus on?
3. What supports will be available for parents who are legally required to stay home with their children during an exclusion order?
4. Will there be income support or employment protection for people who lose wages because they're ordered to stay home?
5. Why did he choose mandatory exclusion orders instead of bringing back mandatory school vaccinations?
6. This comes into effect September 1, 2026. Why not give parents more time to get their children vaccinated before it takes effect?"
7. Given that it takes weeks to months to build immunity, what advice does he have for parents who want to get their children vaccinated before September 1?
8. Will the government cover the cost of blood tests (titers) for people who need to prove immunity?
9. What resources is your ministry putting into public education about this regulation?
10. Will there be a public awareness campaign about what this means for families?
11. How will you track the number of exclusion orders issued and ensure they're not being overused?
12. What is his response to concerns that this regulation gives health officials too much power without enough oversight?
Here is the response we received this afternoon from the Ministry of Primary and Preventative Services under Minister Justin Wright, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat.
The Honourable Justin Wright, Minister of Primary and Preventative Care, MLA for Cypress-Medicine Hat
Alberta’s Communicable Diseases Regulation had remained largely unchanged since the 1980s and was set to expire September 2026.
As part of the regulatory renewal process, the Regulation was updated to modernize outdated terminology and, importantly, to provide clearer direction to Medical Officers of Health about which measures are appropriate in different circumstances, protecting public health while safeguarding Albertans' personal rights.
To be clear, the amendments do not expand the existing legal authority of Medical Officers of Health — those authorities already exist under the Public Health Act. The updated regulation instead defines how and when existing public health measures such as monitoring, exclusion or isolation may be used, based on the disease, the level of exposure and the actual risk of transmission.
The amendments do not introduce mandatory vaccinations, require Albertans to provide vaccination records or blood tests, or make immunization a condition of attending school.
This clearer, disease-specific framework supports consistent and proportionate decision-making and prevents unnecessary or overly broad restrictions on individual rights. Public health officials must assess who was actually exposed, whether that person is susceptible and what targeted, time-limited response is necessary.
Clear public health guidance and voluntary cooperation will remain the first and primary response to communicable diseases. Existing legislation, oversight, and accountability measures remain in place, and Albertans can continue to access information through their health-care provider, local public health clinic, Health Link at 811 and Alberta.ca.
What The Ministry Addressed
First, the Ministry is correct -the previous regulation expires Sept 30 2026, the new one takes effect Sept 1 2026.
They are also correct that it does not give new powers, but it does change the language from MAY to MUST. The Medical Officer of Health MUST order exclusion aka quarantine for certain diseases. That is a significant change which will have a profound effect on the people affected and their wallets.
What the Ministry Did Not Address
The Ministry's response did not address questions about wage replacement or employment protection for workers who are ordered to stay home under this new regulation. This is a significant gap.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the government recognized that workers required to quarantine needed job protection. In March 2020, they passed the Employment Standards (COVID-19 Leave) Regulation, which created a job-protected, unpaid leave of up to 14 days for employees required to quarantine. That regulation was officially repealed on May 23, 2024, by the Employment Standards (COVID-19 Leave) Repeal Regulation (AR 96/2024).
Now, with a permanent regulation that applies to measles, polio, and other diseases, the government has not created a parallel job-protected leave. Workers who are ordered into exclusion as "susceptible contacts" have no statutory right to keep their job. Employers could terminate them for absenteeism.
We do not know whether Employment Insurance sickness benefits would apply to "susceptible contacts" who are not actually ill, or whether Workers' Compensation would cover workers who are exposed in the community rather than as a direct result of their employment.
The Alberta government has created a permanent, enforceable power to exclude people from work. They have not explained what supports, if any, exist for those who lose income as a result. They have not promised the same job-protected leave they provided during COVID-19.
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