Edmonton ready to open Expo Centre as mass vaccination site

The Expo Centre in Edmonton will openas a COVID-19 vaccination site Monday.

"The ExpoCentre's central location, as well as access to transit and parking, makes it an ideal site for a large-scale vaccination centre," Alberta Health said in a newsrelease Tuesday.

The centre willbring thenumber of AHS immunization sites in the Edmonton zone to eight.

"Once operational, the site could host up to 154 vaccination stations as needed, with the capacity to accommodate more than 7,100 immunizations per day," the release said.

The centre will operate between eight and 12 hours a day, seven days a week, for those eligible and with pre-booked vaccination appointments, with hours of operation based on vaccine supply.

Clinics in Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Medicine Hatwill also shift to rapid flow mode thisFriday, with the Calgary site increasing capacity next week.

City to contribute $1.3M

The city is prepared to contribute $1.3 million to help run the site until Octoberif vaccinations are still being administered, city manager Andre Corbould told Edmonton council's emergency advisory committee Wednesday.

"AHS is paying for and has contracted out all the health indoor aspects of it, we are providing outdoor aspects of it," Corbould said.

Outdoor aspectsinclude providing transportation to and from the site, he said.

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Mayor Don Iveson said the city continues to collaborate with the province on using the ExpoCentre as needed during COVID-19.

"This will add significantly to Alberta Health Services capacity for delivering those vaccines and we are happy to help."

The Edmonton Expo Centre was used as an emergency shelter last spring when thepandemic started.

Shelter transition

The city is also working on plans to transition clients from the Edmonton Convention Centre, due to close at the end of April,to new 24/7 shelters.

During the meeting, several councillorsaskedhow the city will manage camps if they emerge, as they did last summer, at Camp Pekiwiwin in Rossdale and two others in Old Strathcona.

Corbould said the city is working on a strategy to offerpeopleother outlets and amenities, including opening day-use areas.Final plans will be announced Friday, he said.

Asking campers to leave a site would be a last-resort decision, Corbould said, pointing to recommendations from acommunity safety and well-being task force to treat people with dignity and improve shelter conditions.

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