WINDSOR, ONT. -- Another busy weekend for Windsor by-law enforcement officers cracking down on COVID-19 rules.
Officers conducted 126 proactive COVID-19 checks along with 40 complaints relayed through 311 Call Centre during the third week of ongoing efforts to enforce the province’s Reopening Ontario Act.
As a result of the blitz, four charges were laid:
- 1 charge – no mask
- 3 charges – no safety plan
The health unit said they will be releasing their own numbers Tuesday.
Windsor by-law enforcement manager Bill Tetler said the city began its proactive enforcement blitz on Nov. 23 to make sure businesses have safety plans in place will clear signage, physical distancing and mask use.
In week one, 23 charges were laid and 21 in the second week.
“It’s a case by case basis and under the legislation of the reopening act of Ontario, the businesses that are allowed to be open are allowed to have a 50 per cent occupancy of that store,” Tetler said.
A frustrated medical officer of health Dr. Wajid Ahmed said Monday everyone needs to understand the risk associated with not following restrictive rules.
“What happened over the weekend with the number of people that were out? Ahmed asked. “What are they thinking? Are they not thinking that this is something that could put everyone at risk? Themselves at risk?”
Information on local health regulations is available from the Windsor Essex County Health Unit website.
Windsor police say they will also be on the lookout for non-compliance, especially now that the region is in the ‘Grey-Lockdown’ level of the provincial shutdown framework.
