In an effort to halt the rising case counts of COVID-19 in Ontario, new restrictions were announced by the Government of Ontario on Friday, April 16.
Enhanced enforcement measures were also announced for provincial offences officers, including police officers, under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA). The Thunder Bay Police Service continues to review these new regulations to ensure appropriate enforcement.
Members of the Thunder Bay Police Service will not be conducting random vehicle or individual stops. We will enforce when situations dictate, such as incidents where there has been a blatant disregard of the province’s stay-at-home orders.
During the review, we remain mindful of the perceptions of the broader public as well as within more marginalized, racialized and vulnerable communities.
We all have obligations regarding the provincial orders. The members of the Thunder Bay Police Service will continue to focus on the 4 E’s:
• Engage (with the individuals)
• Explain (why we are there)
• Educate (on the rules and regulations)
• Enforce (as a last resort)
This approach has proven to be very successful.
We will continue to work with our public health partners to ensure the orders are followed.
We all have a part to play in this pandemic, especially in complying with the provincial orders. Please be assured that the Thunder Bay Police Service will be taking a fair and reasonable approach regarding the enforcement of the new orders.
To learn more about current provincial regulations as they relate to COVID-19, please visit the Government of Ontario’s COVID-19 zones and restrictions portal here: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/zones-and-restrictions