SASKATOON -- As positive cases continue to climb in Saskatchewan’s far north, a village councillor in La Loche says she wants the village council to impose further public restrictions to keep people inside their homes.

“I’m strongly in favor of a complete lockdown,” said Marina Janvier, councillor with the Village of La Loche.

After the provincial government confirmed 29 positive cases of COVID-19 in the far north on Monday, followed by 18 new cases in the same region on Tuesday, Janvier said political leaders in La Loche need to do more to protect the public.

On Tuesday the provincial government reported a total of 114 active cases of COVID-19 in the far north including the Village of La Loche.

“It’s our duty to look at the best interests of the community especially in regards to health and safety,” she said. “It’s showing in our numbers that there is some disregard in terms of the safety precautions,” Janvier said.

Janvier added all non-essential businesses have been closed in the northern community, however she knows about lineups at the village liquor store and post-office where large physical distancing is not being taken seriously.

She said it’s because political leaders are reluctant to impose strict stay-at-home orders, despite an April 23-24 conference call with the province, where Janvier said a provincial medical health officer recommended a village shutdown.

“We’re still floating in the air, that was on April 23 and 24 we’re now into May and I don’t understand how much longer this needs to drag on we’re almost at 100 cases here,” Janvier said. ”There hasn’t been a clear response as to why we’re reluctant to do a lockdown.”

Under a lockdown Janvier said the village would rely on volunteers in the community to make deliveries of essential supplies and medications for people staying at home. Currently the northern grocery store is doing grocery deliveries and a central grocery store is providing curbside pickup. The liquor store and lounge remains open.

La Loche Mayor Robert St. Pierre said before he can endorse a lockdown in La Loche, he wants to have the appropriate supports in place so people can stay home.

“Seriously if we go to a lockdown we’re going to have people who are starving, we’re going to have people who are going to retaliate because of that to get their sustenance, so we have to be really thoughtful and we have to have some calculated objectives,” St. Pierre said.

He added conservation officers have set up checkstops monitoring traffic in and out of La Loche and RCMP are assisting in making sure public gatherings remain under 10 people.

“We have to consider all the avenues before we make any decisions,” he said, adding they are working with Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming to see what steps need to be taken to close the liquor store and lounge.

Janvier said leaving the liquor store open is a risk to public health in La Loche.

“I understand why the liquor stores are deemed essential for those who are dependent on alcohol. On the flip side as well though, it’s also contributing to the outbreak because when you are under the influence of alcohol, you don’t make healthy decisions. So I think it would be beneficial to further reduce hours or shutdown,” Janvier said.

She added the time for considerations has passed and it’s time to take the outbreak of COVID-19 seriously.

“We seem to be minimizing this outbreak and the more we continue minimizing, the more people we put at risk,” she said. “I really pray that we are able to stop the spread sooner than later.”

 - With files from CTV's Matt Young