Nineteen tickets issued in Hamilton for non-compliance with provincial COVID-19 regulations

 

Provincial inspectors handed out 19 tickets in Hamilton this past weekend to individuals and businesses violating COVID-19 regulations.

The fines come as part of the ongoing weekend campaign by Ontario's Ministry of Labour to make sure the rules are being followed...and punishing those who disobey.

Of the 428 businesses in Hamilton, Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo inspected over the two days, nearly 40 per cent of the businesses, according to the provincial government, were issued tickets. Provincial offence officers over the two days inspected grocery stores, gas stations, convenience stores, big-box stores and restaurants with take out. The government is not identifying those who receive tickets.

Up until the final weekend of January, provincial offence officers visited 1,147 big-box stores and other essential retail businesses and head issued 112 tickets during three inspection campaigns.

“We’ve marshalled hundreds of officers to inspect over 1,000 businesses in a few short weeks, and we’ll keep it up as long as there are bad actors out there,” said Monte McNaughton, Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development. “This late in the pandemic, there is absolutely no excuse for owners, staff and customers alike not to be following health and safety rules.”

Violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act can lead to individuals being sentenced to jail for up to one year and fined up to $100,000, while the maximum fine for a corporation on conviction of any offence is up to $10,000,000.