Brantford reminds Residents and Businesses to comply with COVID-19 Provincial Regulations

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Brantford City Hall

BRANTFORD, ON – The City of Brantford remains committed to ensuring the health and safety of residents in our community by enforcing the provincial regulations in place and promoting public health best practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 community spread. With Brantford currently in the Orange-Restrict level of the Keeping Ontario Open and Safe Framework, we strongly urge residents to do their part to limit their contacts and prevent Brantford from moving into the Red-Control level where additional restrictions would have to be implemented.

Under the Ontario Regulation 364/20, when you go out you must use a face covering in public indoor spaces and whenever physical distancing is a challenge. This includes:

  • public spaces (for example, inside stores, event spaces, entertainment facilities and common areas in hotels)
  • workplaces, even those that are not open to the public
  • vehicles that operate as part of a business or organization, including taxis and rideshares

There are some situations when you do not need to wear a face covering, for example; children younger than two years old, if you require health accommodations, when you are eating or drinking. You can learn more about exemptions at the Province of Ontario’s website: https://www.ontario.ca/page/face-coverings-and-face-masks.   

Business owners/operators are responsible for refusing entry to individuals who are not wearing face coverings and who do not fit within one of the exemptions in the provincial regulation. Businesses who have patrons attending their establishment without face coverings can face fines under the Provincial Regulation:

  • The set fine for non-compliance is $880.
  • Repeat offenders can see fines increase individually to $10,000.

Individuals are responsible for limiting gatherings at their own property. Under the Orange-Restrict status, social gatherings are limited to 10 people inside and 25 people outside. Individuals can be fined for failure to comply with the social gathering limits with the set-fine for non-compliance being $750 plus a Victim Fine Surcharge and court costs totalling $880. While these gathering limits are in place, Public Health recommends that you do not come into close contact with anyone outside of your own household.

To date, the City of Brantford By-law Enforcement Officers have responded to over 200 complaints and issued warnings to several establishments throughout the City. Initially, City of Brantford By-law Officers took an education-first approach to Covid-19 violations. However, with the City currently being in the Orange-Restrict level, By-law enforcement staff will be prioritizing enforcement of the provincial regulations. An enforcement-based approach to violations of the provincial COVID-19 regulations is in keeping with the Province’s Keeping Ontario Open and Safe Framework for communities within the Orange-Restrict level.

Let’s take care of each other

The City of Brantford stresses that all residents and businesses play a very significant role in keeping our community safe. Please continue to follow these important COVID-19 guidelines:

  • Stay home when you can and avoid close contact with others outside of your household
  • Wear a face covering
  • Wash your hands frequently
  • Stay home if you are sick, even with mild symptoms
  • Download the COVID alert app

Additional updates regarding City programs and services, and the continuity of services are shared regularly on the City’s Facebook and Twitter pages and at brantford.ca/coronavirus.

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