Manitoba fines 10 businesses for breaking public health orders

B.C. is in a new and complex phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, one in which transmission of the virus is primarily in private settings where public health measures are difficult to enforce. In this phase, health officials’ “soft-hands” approach – prioritizing education over enforcement – appears to have little impact.

WINNIPEG -

Manitoba enforcement officials fined 10 different businesses for defying public health orders.

According to the province’s enforcement information for Sept. 27 to Oct. 3, officials handed out 14 tickets to 10 different businesses during this time. This includes 12 fines for $5,000 and two fines for $1,296.

This includes:

1. Two $5,000 tickets to Fitness Zone, located on First Street in Steinbach;
2.  A $5,000 ticket to Heartland Livestock, located on Road 58 North in Virden;
3.  A $5,000 ticket to Hydro Ag Supply, located at 425 MB-12 in Steinbach;
4. Two tickets for $1,296 to Lee-Anna’s Diner, located on Railway Avenue in Marquette;
5. A $5,000 ticket to LumberZone, located on Commerce Drive in Steinbach;
6. A $5,000 ticket to MORFIT Training Centre, located on Donald Street in Winnipeg;
7. Two $5,000 tickets to MORFIT Training Centre, located on Tache Avenue in Winnipeg;
8. A $5,000 ticket to Shear Effects, located on Main Street in Steinbach;
9. Two $5,000 tickets to Superstore, located at Hwy 12 130 in Steinbach; and
10. A $5,000 ticket to The Exchange Event Centre, located on Bannatyne Avenue in Winnipeg.

This comes to a total of $62,592 in fines in the span of a week.

The latest enforcement numbers also show that from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3, enforcement officials handed out three tickets for $1,296 to individuals for various offences (not including the tickets given to Lee-Anna’s Diner), and two $298 tickets to people for not wearing masks in indoor public places.

Since enforcement efforts began in April 2020, Manitoba has handed out a total of 2,186 tickets, coming to more than $3 million in fines.