A warning will often do the trick, but sometimes violations of the provincial stay-at-home order call for a $750 fine in an effort to discourage bad behaviour, says Scott Green, the city’s manager of corporate and community safety operations.
On occasion, however, that’s not enough and officials opt to issue a court summons which could result in a fine up to $10,000 and as much as six months in jail. The city has gone this route five times and counting during the latest lockdown, which began April 8.
“Probably we were there once and warned you. Then we were probably back again and you got a ticket for $750. We’re back here again, you can go to court and talk to the justice of the peace and explain your actions,” said Green. “It opens up the possibilities for a justice of the peace – they can issue a higher fine. They can also issue a lower fine.”
Four of the court summonses issued are related to larger-than-allowed gatherings, Green explained, while one was given to a business for violating the Reopening Ontario Act which restricts which types of businesses can be open for in-person shopping or services.
Investigators can issue a court summons on the spot or launch an investigation, Green said, noting there is a six-month time limit on those investigations.
“Every investigation is different,” he said. “Most of these investigations would centre around businesses, businesses that were opening contrary to the legislation. We’re just looking into what was the context of that opening.
“There were a few businesses that were saying they were going to open and we went around and had discussions with them and they didn’t (open).”
A significant factor in deciding whether to lay charges, Green noted, is whether business operators intend to, or do open again, in violation of legislation.
