SASKATOON -- More than 100 tickets have been issued for breaking COVID-19 rules in Saskatchewan, but less than five per cent of fines have actually been paid.
According to the Ministry of Justice, 106 charges have been laid for Public Health Act violations. Of the charges, 11 resulted in convictions and only five fines have been paid. Twelve charges were withdrawn and 83 are pending a court date.
Fines can range from $2,800 for an individual, to $14,000 for a business, according to provincial health measures. The data is based on violations from the beginning of the pandemic until March 31.
It does not include the month of April, where police issued 11 tickets for key participants of an anti-COVID health measure rally in Saskatoon, and the Milden Hotel & Bar fine of $14,000.
“The data in the justice database does not capture the outcome of more recent tickets because no outcome has yet occurred. In other words, the vast majority of COVID-related tickets have not yet been dealt with by the courts,” Ministry of Justice spokesperson Margherita Vittorelli said in an email.
