Nearly 700 COVID-19 infractions issued by Montreal police in past week

Three weeks into the provincial reconfinement, Montreal police continues to report hundreds of phone calls from citizens claiming COVID-19 protocols weren’t being followed.

The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) received 536 calls from neighbours and locals worried about Montrealers breaking public health guidelines during the week of January 11 to 17.

The SPVM says police officers issued 699 infractions, 323 of which were related to curfew violators.

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Quebec Premier François Legault has announced that the government would be alleviating COVID-19 measures in early February, though specified that the “majority” would remain and that the situation would be assessed regionally.

Legault’s announcement came as hospitalizations throughout Quebec began to decrease early last week. The province also saw the lowest increase in cases since November over the weekend.

Données #COVID19 | Du 25 au 31 janvier, le #SPVM a reçu 536 appels en lien avec l’application du décret de la Santé publique. Les policiers ont remis 699 constats ou RIG et, de ce nombre, 323 ont été émis pour le non-respect du couvre-feu. pic.twitter.com/zC5FkWTrX5

— Police Montréal (@SPVM) February 1, 2021

From now until February 8, anyone outside of their home from 8 pm to 5 am without a valid reason can be subject to infractions. It’s also still fineable in the province to gather indoors or outdoors with people outside your household (at any time), and businesses must function at a specific capacity relative to its size.

Exceptions to curfew non-compliance are being made for people who have a note from their employers that prove they are supplying an essential service and for Quebecers buying medication outside of curfew hours (though a receipt is needed as proof).

Pet owners are permitted to walk their pets past 8 pm within a 1-kilometre radius from their home.

Grocery stores and depanneurs are required to close at 7:30 pm nightly to give people enough time to get home.

Montreal police did not comment on fine amounts of the 699 offences.