New COVID-19 restrictions mean Mother’s Day in Calgary will look much different than last year.

In 2020, most of the province was beginning its reopening process, including limits on in-person dining. However, Calgary was still under stricter guidelines at that time.

This year, many Calgarians hoped to return to patios and restaurants for Mother’s Day brunch, as well as partake in other traditional activities.

The new restrictions mean that in-person dining and patios must close, and outdoor gatherings are limited to 5 people.

For Susan Kost, these measures mean that she and her daughter will be unable to go ahead with their typical traditions. 

Kost says usually her daughter would “just surprise me on Mother’s Day, so I never knew ahead of time what we were doing.”

Normally, this would be a lunch or brunch date at a unique restaurant. However, Kost says they’ve had to switch their plans due to the current limits in place across the city.

“I pretty much told her that we can just do something at her place,” said Kost.

She said that while she enjoys what her daughter plans each year, she mainly just enjoys having the time with her.

Kost knows she’s lucky to live in the same city as he family; some Calgarians will have a very hard time seeing their families. She hopes “that other mothers get to see their kids if that’s what they want.”

Safety concerns

COVID-19 is weighing in the back of many people’s minds this Mother’s Day, including Alex Negut.

Negut says he and his family usually spend the day at his parents’ house to celebrate.

This year they don’t have any set plans, expressing concerns around the rampant spread of COVID in the Calgary area.

He says they’re more comfortable getting together to spend time outdoors as a family since the majority of Negut’s family is vaccinated, including his at-risk grandmother.

A statement from Alberta Health Services (AHS) urges people to stay safe, reading:

“We all have the responsibility to take action and do what we can to protect the health of our communities. 

We implore all Albertans to follow current public health orders. This includes not holding large gatherings and avoiding small gatherings outside their immediate household.

The purpose of these orders is to protect the health and safety of all Albertans. 

We understand and appreciate it is difficult to not celebrate Mother’s Day with family and other loved ones.  

We strongly encourage Albertans to stay physically distant, but socially connected, to protect ourselves and those we love.”