Calgary,
11
March
2021
|
15:44
America/Denver

City of Calgary update on collaborative COVID-19 enforcement measures

City of Calgary Community Peace Officers and the Calgary Police Service (CPS) continue to work together, along with Alberta Health Services (AHS), to ensure enforcement of all bylaws and public health orders.

The Temporary COVID-19 Face Coverings Bylaw came into effect August 1, 2020. On Monday, December 11, 2020 Calgary City Council extended the temporary bylaw through December 2021 and increased penalties for failure to wear a face covering and for repeat violations within a 12-month period.

Enforcement of the temporary bylaw has resulted in:

  • 277 violation tickets for failure to wear a face covering where required since August 1, 2020
    • Of those, 19 violation tickets have been issued March 4, 2021.
  • One ticket has been issued for failure to display prescribed signage in an entryway of a public indoor space. This is the only ticket issued of this nature since August 1, 2020.

The total number of tickets issued under the Public Health Act (PHA) since the State of Local Emergency was declared is:

  • 198 violation tickets since November 24, 2020
    • Two of those violation tickets were issued since March 4, 2021.

The Temporary COVID-19 Face Coverings Bylaw violation tickets were issued for non-compliance at transit stations and on transit vehicles. Overall, the compliance rate on Calgary Transit vehicles is 97 per cent.

On March 8, 2021 community peace officers issued two public health order violation tickets related to social distancing and gathering over capacity at the Fairview Baptist Church. Now that summons have been issued, any additional actions taken for multiple violations will be led by AHS. Community peace officers will continue to work alongside AHS and CPS to investigate complaints surrounding this location.City business licence inspectors and partners from AHS, CPS, Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, and Occupational Health and Safety have formed a Public Health Compliance (PHC) Team to monitor compliance, address concerns and support measures that help protect Calgarians.

Through collaborative enforcement, business licence inspectors issued charges under Business Licence Bylaw 32M98 to a business that was operating in contravention of a closure order issued by AHS. The PHC Team continues to take an education first approach to achieve compliance with businesses who receive health order complaints from the public. As a last resort, businesses in contravention of the public health orders may be subject to a fine and/or have to attend a business licence hearing to determine whether their licence will be revoked or suspended.

The City of Calgary’s top priority remains the health and safety of Calgarians. The City understands the impact and tough circumstances faced by businesses that are closed or operating under restrictions because of the pandemic and will continue to support the business community during this difficult time. However, continued and flagrant violations will have consequences.

The City of Calgary would like to thank citizens and businesses for their continued adherence to public health orders and for playing an important role in the health of all Calgarians.

Where violations are suspected, Calgarians or businesses can submit questions, concerns or report complaints to Alberta Health Services online or by calling 1-833-415-9179, or to The City by contacting 311 or the CPS non-emergency line at 403-266-1234.

More information is available on Calgary.ca/covid19.

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