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HEALTH-VIRUS-CANADA-FINES
Canada’s Quebec, Ontario propose stricter masks, quarantines enforcement
OTTAWA, Sept 11, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Canada’s two most populous provinces,
seeing an uptick in new Covid-19 cases, vowed Thursday to crack down, with
Quebec announcing fines for not wearing masks indoors and Ontario’s premier
calling for stepped up enforcement of mandatory quarantines.
“We cannot accept that a few irresponsible individuals are putting our
entire society at risk. So I think it’s time to crack down,” Quebec Premier
Francois Legault told a news conference.
Wearing a mask has been compulsory since mid-July in all enclosed public
places in Quebec, including shops, restaurants, bars, theaters and public
transport. Children under 12 and people with health problems are exempt.
Until now, store owners were responsible for enforcement.
The new fines targeting individuals will start being issued as of Saturday.
The amounts are yet to be announced.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Ontario, Premier Doug Ford called on Ottawa to
step up policing of travelers returning from abroad and ignoring a compulsory
14-day quarantine upon entering the country.
Breaching federal quarantine orders can lead to charges with penalties of
up to six months in jail and fines of Can$750,000 (US$570,000), or police can
issue tickets of up to Can$1,000.
Between March 25 and September 3, police were called to verify the
whereabouts of 87,338 people who had been ordered to isolate at home,
according to Public Health Agency of Canada data cited by local media.
But only 17 people have been fined in Ontario, according to Doug Ford, who
complained that most offenders get “a slap on the wrist” rather than a
ticket.
Canada has recorded more than 134,000 cases of coronavirus as of Thursday,
including 9,199 deaths.
BSS/AFP/GMR/0916 hrs