Two years ago, we opened our financial operations centre in downtown Calgary, which now employs close to 90 people. And since 1997, we have had staff in our regional offices who are eager to listen to local business leaders like you. Over the past year, this has become more critical than ever. COVID-19 has touched every Canadian in every corner of the country.
The pandemic is, first and foremost, a human tragedy, taking the lives of more than 20,000 Canadians, and it’s not over. It has also led to an economic downturn unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Albertans have been especially hard hit, facing the double blow of lockdowns and low oil prices.