Officials enforcing Manitoba’s COVID-19 public health regulations handed out 59 tickets last week, including six tickets to people caught at anti-lockdown rallies.
For the week ending June 20, the province says 46 tickets worth $1,296 were given out to individuals. Those tickets included 35 related to gatherings in private residences or outdoors, 10 for failing to self-isolate, and one to a sole proprietorship.
Another 11 $298-tickets were given out for failing to wear a mask in an indoor public place, and two $5,000 tickets were given to businesses, the province said.
As for anti-lockdown gatherings and rallies, the province says previous events remain under investigation and further charges are expected.
“Officials advise the choice to defy public health orders is a serious offence and violators will be held to account,” the province said in a release.
The province said Tuesday it’s extending a regulation allowing for additional enforcement around COVID-19 health regulations until Sept. 30 and that nearly 3,300 personnel across various agencies are currently able to enforce public health orders.
Since enforcement started in April 2020, the province says a total of 4,910 warnings and 1,979 tickets have been issued to individuals and businesses, resulting in more than $2.6 million in fines.
In May the province announced it would begin issuing double fines for repeat offenders caught breaking COVID-19 public health orders.
An extra $100 default convection penalty is also added to unpaid fines, and the province warns those who don’t respond to tickets will be prohibited from renewing a driver’s license or vehicle registration until the ticket is paid.
Manitoba’s current public health orders cap public gatherings at five people, restrict restaurants to takeout and delivery services, and limit store capacity to 10 per cent. Most indoor social gatherings are banned and theatres, cinemas, casinos and concert venues remain closed.
Under a reopening plan announced earlier this month, health officials said they would look at gradually loosening restrictions if certain vaccination milestones are hit over the summer, provided daily case numbers and hospitalization rates have also fallen.
Officials said Monday the first milestone — 70 per cent of Manitobans aged 12 and up having their first dose and 25 per cent having their second — has been achieved earlier than the original July 1 target.
Manitoba’s chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said Monday details on the province’s next round of reopening plans are expected Wednesday.
–With files from The Canadian Press
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