Over $1.12M in COVID-related fines have been handed out in BC

British Columbia’s record-breaking state of emergency due to COVID-19 was extended for a 26th time on Tuesday.

With the year being just over 52 weeks and each extension lasting two weeks, simple math tells us that we’re nearing the one-year anniversary of the state of emergency being declared on March 18, 2020.

While it’s in place, health and emergency management officials can continue to use extraordinary powers under the Emergency Program Act to support BC’s pandemic response.

It’s been extended through the end of the day on March 16, two days short of the one-year anniversary of it being declared. https://t.co/XF3017I7u0

— KelownaNow (@KelownaNow) March 3, 2021

Since mid-August, and especially since the fall, that’s meant a number of public health orders regarding gatherings and events, limitations at restaurants and bars, a mandate on masks and plenty more.

"We need to keep following public health orders so we can all get through this next period safely until more vaccines are ready," said Mike Farnworth, minister of public safety.

"In the meantime, orders will continue to be enforced for those who refuse to do their part and risk undoing the progress we've made so far."

Between Aug. 21, 2020 and Feb. 26, 2021, there have been 1,336 violation tickets issued throughout BC and the provincial government has provided the following breakdown:

• 199 $2,300 tickets to owners or organizers contravening the provincial health officer's (PHO) order on gatherings and events.
• 38 $2,300 violation tickets for contravention of the PHO Food and Liquor Serving Premises Order.
• 1,099 $230 tickets issued to individuals who refused to comply with direction from law enforcement.
  

In addition, since the start of the pandemic, there have been 102 violation tickets issued to people who have contravened the federal Quarantine Act, totalling $328,442 in fines.

That all adds up to a grand total of $1,126,292 in COVID-related fines that have been handed out in BC.

It’s a massive increase from when the provincial government updated these numbers two weeks ago, when the total number of fines was $762,095.

The province’s current public health orders that mandate masks, ban gatherings of any size, prohibit adult team sports and put limitations on bars and restaurants remain in place at the moment.

There’s no set date on when they expire, but Dr. Bonnie Henry has said she’s constantly evaluating the restrictions and hopes to ease them soon.