WINNIPEG -- Dozens of Manitobans have been handed hefty fines and warnings last week for violating public health orders, according to the province.
According to the province, 54 people were given warnings in the past week for violating health orders, and another 32 people were fined. The province said this includes one $1,296 ticket which was handed to Lewis Weiss, the Reeve for the RM of La Broquerie after he spoke at an anti-mask rally in Steinbach with hundreds of people in attendance.
“This incident remains under investigation, and additional charges are expected,” the province said.
Premier Pallister has previously said those in attendance at the rally should expect to have fines mailed to them.
Since the beginning of November, the province said there have been several people fined $1,296 for attending gatherings, including one that was between 20 and 25 people large.
Six people have been fined for failing to isolate as required, and two people have been fined for unnecessarily travelling to the north.
This comes after the premier upped the fines for breaking health orders to $1,296 for individuals and $5,000 for businesses. With the increase came a vow from the premier to step up enforcement of the orders, along with a plan to spend $2.5 million on additional COVID-19 enforcement.
The province said more than 3,300 people in Manitoba are now able to enforce the orders, which includes the RCMP, who announced on Tuesday that it has fined eight people so far in November.
READ MORE: RCMP fine eight more Manitobans for breaking public health rules
In addition to the individual fines, the province said since April, 200 tickets have been handed out to businesses for allegedly violating the orders, along with 307 warnings.
However, some business owners have said the tickets are unfair. One business owner who was fined told CTV News they are disputing the tickets, saying they are vague.
