We are all in this together. Stay home, save lives. Practice safe social distancing, wear a mask and wash your hands.

These are all things we've gotten used to hearing over the course of the COVID pandemic. Now, after 16 months of having tight restrictions in place, they will be lifted starting tomorrow. 

Cochranites fall on both sides of the coin when it comes to the province opening up. Some local residents can't wait to ditch the face masks and get back to socializing, while others say they won't be changing their habits overnight.

Local Cochrane resident MJ Stead says that she has mixed feelings. 

"I'll be glad to see all of the businesses back in action, the kids together outside and people seeing each other and everything, but I'm really not sure how to even do this," says Stead.

She explains that after close to two years of having strict public health measures in place, it's going to be hard to switch that off overnight. 

"I will continue to wear a face mask for a while in public places," says Stead. "I'm very tentative about the whole thing, I'm proceeding with caution."

Stead says that she won't be quick to give out handshakes and hugs, but recognizes that Albertans need to start getting back to normal.

Janelle Britton also lives here in Cochrane and she says she can't wait to see people's faces again.

"The mask is going! Especially in this heat. I'm not sad to see that go in any way," says Britton. "I just want to see people's faces. I'm so tired of seeing only eyes and only recognizing my friends in a store at the last second."

Britton says that she has plans to get together with friends and family ASAP.

"We're going to use Canada Day to celebrate Canada and also celebrate getting back together and reuniting with everyone," says Britton.

Effective tomorrow, July 1, the province enters Stage 3 and will officially be 'Open for Summer.'