One person in Richmond has been fined $1,000 under the federal Quarantine Act, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) confirmed.
However, the agency would not provide further details on the case.
PHAC said that it is working with RCMP across Canada, along with provincial law enforcement agencies, to verify that returning travellers are complying with the mandatory 14 day self-isolation rule, which came into effect in March 25.
That order was later expanded, with the federal government announcing that anyone returning to Canada without a credible self-isolation plan would need to stay at a designated quarantine facility, for example, a hotel.
The public health agency says it shares information on travellers with the RCMP’s national operations centre if it needs help enforcing the act.
PHAC says it has made nearly 2,200 referrals to RCMP across the country. A spokesperson for the agency said referrals are made to local law enforcement “if travellers cannot be reached, or show indication of non-compliance with their (self-isolation) obligations.”
According to PHAC, the health agency attempts to contact all symptomatic travellers, while Service Canada attempts to call all asymptomatic travellers.
Anyone who arrives in Canada by air, land or sea must complete a contact tracing form (either online, by mobile app or on paper) – which is provided to PHAC –and confirm that they understand they will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
In total, PHAC has passed on 2,198 referrals to RCMP, a spokesperson told the Richmond News in an email. In B.C., the agency has made 254 referrals. The majority of referrals as of May 13 – numbering 705 – were in Ontario.
Local law enforcement may choose to issue a verbal or written warning prior to issuing a ticket, according to a PHAC spokesperson, who added that even if law enforcement officials find a violation, they “may choose to use a different instrument for enforcement (for example, local bylaws or provincial legislation).”
Provinces and territories are also taking different approaches to enforcement, according to PHAC. For example, B.C. is using communications, rather than ticketing, to encourage compliance.
A spokesperson for PHAC said more than 4,500 people have been ticketed and charged on separate occasions “for alleged COVID-19-related violations across Canada under provincial and municipal orders” for not following various measures put in place to slow the spread of the virus.
Meanwhile, four tickets have been issued in Canada for offences under the Quarantine Act.
Those who fail to comply with the Quarantine Act can face a fine of up to $750,000 and/or imprisonment for six months. If someone is found to have caused a risk of imminent death or serious bodily harm to another, while wilfully or recklessly contravening the act, can be fined up to $1 million or imprisoned for up to three years.
