By Canadian Press

Finance note says lifting lockdowns, restrictions no sure road to economic recovery

Dec 31, 2020 | 1:41 PM

OTTAWA — A newly obtained federal document shows officials believed in late summer that an economic recovery would not magically happen if lockdowns and public health restrictions disappeared.

The internal briefing note says a key to recovery is the level of trust people have in their government’s ability to contain the spread of the virus.

The Canadian Press used the Access to Information Act to obtain the Finance Department briefing note, prepared in early September.

While restrictions and lockdowns are common ways to reduce transmission rates, the note also lays out other options, including increased testing and contact-tracing.

It says countries that have managed to reduce transmission of the virus to very low levels have seen more people visit retailers, use transit and head to workplaces.

Raiders AGM

Raiders impact on Prince Albert local economy continues to go up: AGM report

5h ago

Court proceedings

'The impact of this trauma will echo for generations': court case surrounding La Ronge woman's death reaches conclusion

Dec 11, 2024

Going Global

P.A.'s Zablocki named to Team Canada for U18 Women's World Championships

Dec 11, 2024

Countries that haven’t kept COVID-19 under control, including where restrictions have been loose or non-existent, “have had a much more uneven recovery.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 31, 2020.

The Canadian Press