Over 30 750 COVID tickets handed out in Niagara as enforcement continues

By Bonnie Heslop

Published: December 10, 2020 at 6:56 PM

Guidance or signage with bottle of disinfectant for cleaning and disinfection and rules to follow for COVID-19 or Coronavirus emergency at the entrance of a store, shop, restaurant or school, precaution anti-CovidiStock.com/Michele Ursi

Over 250 businesses in Niagara have had a COVID inspection by a regional official, and more are on the way.

Niagara Region's Business Licencing team, local municipal bylaw officials, and sometimes police are responsible for enforcing the provincial COVID-19 emergency regulations.

According to regional officials, between September 18th and November 28th, Regional bylaw officers conducted 251 inspections of businesses across Niagara, including bars, restaurants, retail locations and others.

Those inspections have resulted in 32 Part I Provincial Offence tickets, which carries a $750 fine.

Three Part III summons, elevated fines, were issued for infractions under the Reopening Ontario Act, O.Reg. 364/20.

Officers also issued 48 formal warnings and conducted 178 educational conversations.

These inspections are in addition to those conducted by local area municipal bylaw offices.

If you have a COVID related complaint, residents should call their local municipality's by-law office, or Niagara Region's dispatch line after hours at 905-984-3690 or 1-877-552-5579.

Niagara Region is also partnering with a provincial multi-ministry team in a three-day education and enforcement campaign from Dec. 14-16 to make sure local businesses are following the rules.