There are still Canadians who are seen gathering outside, completely ignoring the importance of social distancing prompting federal and local governments to enforce tougher measures to violators.
Health experts have observed that COVID community transmission has risen up to 90%. This makes it harder to track and predict how many more could get infected and that is why practising social distancing becomes even more essential.
Provincial leaders have started to take action. In Saskatchewan, the local government is using its emergency-broadcast system to reach the public through their mobile devices and tell travellers they can be fined $2,000 if they don’t self-isolate for 2 weeks. In Nova Scotia, gatherings of more than five people are banned and fines are $10,000 for individuals and up to $100,000 for corporations. In Quebec, authorities have arrested an infected woman for walking out in the streets.
For us in Ontario, violators of social-distancing orders can face a $1,000 fine while establishments who are caught violating the province’s emergency law can be fined $750. For corporations, it’s $500,000 on conviction.
Just today, Canada’s Minister of Health, Patty Hajdu, confirms that the government is making isolation mandatory to all travellers effective midnight. This falls under the Quarantine Act that states “all travellers returning to Canada will be subject to mandatory 14-day isolation.”