Saskatchewan to renew emergency order same day province lifts all COVID-19 measures

The dome of the Saskatchewan Legislative Building is seen in this file image. (Brendan Ellis/CTV News)

The Saskatchewan Party government, which has repeatedly said people need to "learn to live with COVID-19," is renewing its state of emergency.

Premier Scott Moe signed an order-in-council on Wednesday to extend the emergency order "to address the COVID-19 public health emergency."

The order will renew on Monday, the same day Saskatchewan is to lift all remaining pandemic restrictions, including an indoor mask mandate and the requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19.

Saskatchewan's state of emergency order was re-enacted in September during the Delta wave, and gives the government power to redirect health-care workers.

It also gives the government broad authority to control travel within the province, to take control of the emergency response of a local authority and to require people to comply with any health orders.

A spokesperson for the premier's office says the order will remain in place until staff within the health-care system no longer need to be redeployed.

Latest data from the Ministry of Health shows that between Feb. 6 and Feb. 12, there were 410 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 -- a record since the pandemic began.