Blood Tribe Chief Roy Fox and council declared a state of emergency on Monday night — less than 24 hours before the Alberta government did the same across the province — despite zero confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the southern Alberta community. “We were looking Friday at shutting our schools down, and then it was Sunday when the province actually announced they were going to shut the schools down.
So everything we’re doing, we’re very proactive,” Abrey said. Chief Fox saying on Monday that council was committing $500,000 to help cover basic costs for members during the state of emergency, and added that essential services — like public works, housing, and social development — would continue for members.