Owners of a Saskatoon bar say they’ll fight a $14,000 fine for violating COVID-19 public health orders in court.
“We were unfairly cited for spacing regulations within the establishment,” a statement on the Buds on Broadway Facebook page says.
The provincial government said, in a Feb. 10 statement, that inspectors issued the fine because the bar had failed to abide by public health orders. The statement did not specify what the violation was.
The Feb. 11 Facebook post says the fine is unjust, stating “Health Authorities” had visited two weeks prior to issuing the fine and confirmed then that “all tables & spacing were in compliance.”
It also said no “spacing changes” had been made between the two visits.
“Owners and management would like to assure all patrons that we are following and complying with all COVID-19 regulations,” it says, adding “we will be defending our position in court.”
It appears the fine was issued on the same night three Buds patrons were ticketed for not wearing masks.
A Feb. 1 post states two inspectors and two police officers entered the bar on Jan. 30 and ticketed three people for not wearing masks. The same government release mentions three people each received tickets for $2,800 but did not provide more detail.
Buds on Broadway representatives declined to comment. The SHA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
–With files from David Giles