Newmarket bylaw officers come out swinging during first week of lockdown

Newmarket bylaw officers racked up the second-most number of inspections during the first week of lockdown in York Region

Newmarkettoday.ca
Dec. 24

The Town of Newmarket's bylaw officers were busy during the first week of lockdown in York Region.

Between Dec. 14 and 20, they performed 447 public health compliance inspections of businesses, which is nearly three times more than were conducted in Markham.

Newmarket came in second for the region behind the City of Vaughan, which performed 1,228 inspections that week.

No charges were laid in Newmarket as a result of the inspections, but they did issue 326 education notices to businesses.

Elsewhere in the region, there were 51 charges laid against businesses during the week, two of which were in Aurora.

According to a report issued by York Region on Dec. 22, The Hockey Club, a hockey training centre, was charged by Aurora bylaw enforcement officers with violating physical distancing requirements by having a camp open for sports. It was issued a $750 fine plus surcharge, totalling $880.

Aurora bylaw officers also charged the Walmart location on First Commerce Drive after an employee was found not wearing a mask during their inspection. The store was fined $880, as well.

A complete list of charges and closures is available on york.ca/COVID19.

The following provides a summary of the 51 charges:

11 charges issued by York Region Public Health
1 charge issued by York Regional Police
8 charges issued by York Region Transit
2 charges issued by the Town of Aurora
1 charge issued by the Township of King
13 charges issued by the City of Markham
13 charges issued by the City of Vaughan
2 charges issued by the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville

York Region's director of communications, Patrick Casey, said over the coming weeks, officers will continue to visit essential businesses and various other locations to ensure public health measures under the provincewide shutdown and York Region’s Section 22 Class Order are being met.