CPS has written dozens of public health order violation tickets so far

Dec 11 2020, 5:13 pm

Those breaking public health orders in Calgary could face a hefty fine.

A release from the Calgary Police Service details that the tickets they’ve written over the past few months as a result of people disobeying the Public Health Act.

CPS state that, since the Face Coverings Bylaw came into effect in Calgary at the start of August, officers have written 21 violation tickets “for failure to wear a face-covering where required.”

Six of those tickets had been written in just the past nine days since December 2, when the Province of Alberta updated public health orders.

Some of those violations occurred at organized gatherings in protest of the public health orders and mandatory mask bylaw, the release states.

“We will continue to focus on enforcement where people are clearly disregarding compliance,” said Ryan Pleckaitis, Chief Bylaw Officer with Calgary Community Standards, in the release.

“The actions we take today and over the coming weeks will bear significant impact on the safety of us all – while we have done a great deal of education, The Province has made it clear that there must be a consequence to putting other people at risk.”

CPS has issued 11 Public Health Act violation tickets since November 24, and seven since December 7.

Two tickets were issued on Tuesday related to gatherings or protests that took place in the city over the weekend, while three were issued to event organizers this week, including for holding an event without a permit and for attaching signs to trees.

Three tickets were written in relation to an unapproved religious assembly, resulting in fines of $3,000 each under the Land Use Bylaw.

A different religious gathering allegedly held last weekend is also being investigated.

The release also notes that the city plans to update its Temporary COVID-19 Face Covering Bylaw on Monday, December 14 and that anyone with concerns about people violating the bylaw, or the Public Health Act, can contact 311.

Chandler WalterChandler Walter

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