SIOUX LOOKOUT – Not taking social distancing and the new emergency health declarations seriously? You could end up facing charges.
The Sioux Lookout Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) is urging the public to heed orders made by the Government of Ontario’s health emergency declaration related to limiting transmission of COVID-19.
On Tuesday evening, April 14, 2020, OPP officers responded to a local hotel for a complaint of a group of non-registered guests causing a disturbance in a hotel room. Officers attended and educated guests about emergency orders made under the Emergency Measures and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). As a result, one individual was charged with ‘Fail to comply with an order made during an emergency’ as per EMCPA.
In a media statement, Sioux Lookout OPP states, “Officers take pride in providing public safety to the community they serve and support the efforts of federal, provincial and local health authorities during the current emergency situation. At this time, the frontline approach to enforcement is through public education with officers encouraging compliance with all of the short-term restrictions. Voluntary compliance is always preferred, and the OPP appreciates the public’s ongoing support of these mandates.”
However, for the safety of our community, it needs to be understood that compliance with these orders is not optional. Recent updates to the Provincial Offences Act outline the financial consequences for individuals and businesses who choose to defy the EMCPA. For individuals, this includes set fines of $750 for failing to comply with an order made during a declared emergency, or $1,000 for obstructing any person performing a duty or exercising a power in accordance with an order made during a declared emergency.
