HKPR Health Unit Provides Recap of 2021 COVID Enforcement

Pete Fisher
3 years ago
• Categories: Editor Choice, Local

The Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit has provided Today’s Northumberland a recap of 2021 enforcement concerning COVID-19 in the area.

Communications Officer, Bill Eekhof provided the update for 2021 on the role and enforcement HKPR Health Unit has been involved.

Eekhof said the Health Unit follows a progressive enforcement that includes the 4 Es approach:

Engage with individuals who are not complying

Explain why HKPR is responding

Educate individuals on the rules and regulations

Enforce as a last resort

“The Health Unit continues to work with our enforcement partners, including municipal by-law officers and local police services to inspect establishments under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act (ROA).”
As a result, Eekhof said the Health Unit may not be aware of all tickets that have been levied against local establishments.

The Health Unit has issued the following tickets:

Under Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act (ROA)

296 Covid related complaints received this year

33 warnings issued to businesses not complying with ROA requirements

11 Part one tickets issued to seven establishments: four in Northumberland, two in CKL and one in Haliburton County.

The tickets include: 7 – Lack of compliance with masking & face coverings, 1 – Permitted method of sale that allowed patrons to enter the indoor area during shut down, 1 – Providing service during shut down, 1 – Failure to comply with Proof of Vaccination Requirements and 1 – Obstruct any person performing a duty in accordance with an order made during a declared emergency

Under the Health Protection and Promotion Act (HPPA)

145 warning letters issued/delivered to individuals for not isolating

3 charges laid under HPPA – part one tickets for “Fail to comply with a section 22 order in respect of a communicable disease (novel coronavirus)”