Newmarket to fine people who defy coronavirus orders, gather in groups

Bylaw officers will be 'deployed in full force' beginning this weekend

Yorkregion.com
April 6, 2020
Lisa Queen

Newmarket will start fining people who defy orders aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, the town announced April 5. - Amanda Persico/Torstar

Newmarket will now begin handing out fines to people who defy orders put in place to help stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, the town announced April 3.

Bylaw officers "will be deployed in full force beginning this weekend to ensure the community complies with these emergency orders", the town said in a statement.

Under powers granted by the provincial government, municipal bylaw officers can issue fines under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

Failure to comply with an emergency order carries a starting fine of $750. However, anyone found guilty could face up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000 for individuals, $500,000 for a director of a corporation or $10 million for a corporation.

In addition, anyone who fails to identify themselves properly to a bylaw officer can receive a $750 fine. Obstructing a bylaw officer can come with a fine of $1,000.

Up until now, Newmarket has been educating people not to gather in groups of five or more, as ordered by the provincial government.

While it will still try to teach people to practice physical distancing, the town will now begin issuing fines, Mayor John Taylor said.

"It could have been done before and we were trying to work with educational means. Now, we’re going to do education and enforcement," he said the evening of April 3.

"That doesn’t mean people will get ticketed (automatically) tomorrow. I think if people are reasonable and staff approach them and say 'Please recognize the rules' and they do (they won’t necessarily be fined), but if, in a day or two, people are still doing what’s not acceptable, then I suspect tickets will be issued."

Bylaw officers will also start handing out fines to people using recreational areas closed to the public during the COVID-19 crisis, such as playgrounds, tennis courts, baseball diamonds and sports fields.

Fines can also be given to people gathering in groups of more than five for parties, picnics or other similar get-togethers.

Meanwhile, the town will start fining non-essential businesses that are open and stores that gouge customers on the prices of necessary goods, such as disinfectant products.

Residents are asked to limit their trips outdoors to essential outings such as groceries, work and medical visits.

People can go outside for walks and exercise or to take pets out, but need to stay two metres apart from other people.

The town’s announcement to start fining people comes a day after dozens of Southlake Regional Health Centre workers came outside to watch hundreds of cars and emergency vehicles parade around the hospital to thank front-line staff for their dedication through the COVID-19 pandemic.

While some people have criticized the event in light of orders for people to remain home and to practice physical distancing when outside, Taylor said the parade isn’t at odds with the town’s decision to begin fining people who don’t comply with orders not to gather in groups of more than five.

"Anybody who thinks it’s not OK to be in a car driving around, I just don’t agree," he said. "If you are in your house and feeling stressed and isolated and cooped in and you want to go and drive around the streets for 20 minutes by yourself, feel free. I think that’s OK to try to cope with whatever you’re dealing with."

Taylor said when he went to be tested for COVID-19, he was told to wait in his car because that’s the safest place to be. He tested negative for the coronavirus.

"There were some people who then went on to say that the Southlake employees were standing so close together. My response to that is very simple: these are people who are critical workers, as critical as they come, and they are working shoulder to shoulder, day in and day out, in cramped circumstances, with COVID-19 patients in the building," he said, adding he understands why people are asking questions during this stressful time.

"They don’t have the luxury of social distancing that we have because they’re there working every day in the hospitals to keep us healthy and safe. Don’t get me wrong, I understand why people might look and go 'Hey', but if you think about it, you realize they’re just coming outside in the same way they stand inside, which is really working shoulder to shoulder."

The parade had a "massive impact" on Southlake staff, Taylor said.

"There were people walking back into the building crying, feeling so much stronger from the support the community showed them."

For more information, visit newmarket.ca/covid19.