20 tickets were handed out, resulting in a compliance rate of 59 percent. The blitz this weekend marks the third campaign of its type. Another 200 stores are expected to be inspected by officials on Sunday and the rest of the data will be released on Monday. The provincial government announced the first of these weekend safety campaigns on January 14 amid strict COVID-19 lockdown measures being implemented in Ontario.
The blitz sends dozens of inspectors from the Ministry of Labour and local law enforcement officers to large retailers throughout Ontario who are allowed to stay open at this time. Individuals found to violate the Occupational Health and Safety Act can be fined up to $100,000 for as long as one year and imprisoned. Corporations may be subject to fines of up to £ 1.5 million per charge.
As Premier Doug Ford faced criticism for allowing big-box stores to remain open for shopping on-site, these weekend campaigns were announced. He said that these efforts are going to help crack down on plausible measures for retention.
Source CTV
