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The York region says companies that fail to abide by rules aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19 could face fines of $ 5,000 per day.
On Sunday evening, Dr. Karim Kurji, the region’s medical health officer, said he issued a class order, requiring companies such as meeting and event spaces, shopping malls and retail stores to set capacity limits and ensure that physical distances are strictly respected.
The order issued under Section 22 of the Ontario Province Health Protection and Promotion Act will take effect at 12:01 am Monday, November 23.
Kurji said the order “is the next step in a series of strengthened measures put in place by the York Region to limit the spread of COVID-19”.
The area is under the red control level of the province’s COVID-19 framework for restrictions.
The order was announced hours before Toronto and the Peel region entered the blockade zone.
Residents in these two COVID-19 hotspots are feared to visit businesses in the York region. On Friday, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti urged people in Toronto and Peel not to travel to their area.
“The block exists for a reason. The red zone is here for a reason. We need to reduce the number of cases. This should be everyone’s priority. I don’t care what city, what neighborhood, what city you come from, ”said Scarpitti.
Senior officials in the York region wrote a letter to the premier on Thursday, a day before the announcement of the blockade measures, claiming that the area remained in the red zone.
Regional officials said they were confident that restrictions in the control category are sufficient to control the spread of COVID-19, predicting that the number of new cases will decrease in the coming days.
Officials also pledged to strengthen enforcement in areas where collection limits are not met.
In its order, meeting and event spaces, banquet halls, conference rooms and convention centers are required to put a limit of 50 people per event.
Shopping centers and retail stores must ensure that physical distance is also observed in common areas, bathrooms, corridors and entrances, as well as in rows.
Kurji said those who do not follow the order will face a fine of $ 5,000 for one person or $ 25,000 for a company per day.
On Sunday, the York region reported 130 new cases of COVID-19.
– with CP24 personnel files
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