The Ontario government is sending inspectors to Ottawa next week as part of a compliance blitz to ensure local businesses are following COVID-19 procedures, including proper protocols to check for proof of vaccination.
The province will work with the city and Ottawa Public Health on the visits, dubbed an “education and enforcement” initiative to ensure compliance with the Reopening Ontario Act.
Inspectors will be checking in on high-risk settings that still have capacity limits such as night clubs to ensure proper distancing, and that masking, cleaning and COVID-19 safety plan procedures are being followed in other businesses.
Gyms, Indoor restaurants and bars, sporting and music events and theatres will also be subject to inspections on verifying customers’ proof of vaccination.
Individuals found to be violating the Reopening Ontario Act are subject to fines of $750, while businesses breaking the rules can be hit with fines of $1,000 per offence.
The maximum penalty for an individual is a fine of up to $100,000 and a year in jail; a director of a corporation could pay up to $500,000 while the business itself could be hit with a $10-million penalty, depending on the offence.
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