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Okotoks Protective Services plan to educate on COVID-19 rules

Alberta announces new regulations, gatherings limited to 15 people
Kellystienwand
Kelly Stienwand, Okotoks Protective Services director, said education is key to enforcing COVID-19 health regulations. (Brent Calver/Western Wheel)

Okotoks peace officers will be vigilant in using their new authority to enforce COVID-19 health regulations.

“Essentially it is allowing our peace officers to have the same authority that is already granted to police officers or RCMP officers in the province,” said Kelly Stienwand, Okotoks Protective Services director. “We feel this is not really about writing tickets and we hope we don’t actually have to utilize this authority.

“These new offences should really signal to those who are not taking appropriate measures consistent with the chief medical officer’s orders that they need to take this seriously to contribute to our collective duty to stop the spread (of COVID-19).”

It is now the law for travellers returning from outside of Canada to self-isolate.

This legal requirement also applies to those in close contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases, as well as to any individual with symptoms, such as a fever, cough, sore throat or runny nose.

Through amendments to the Procedures Regulation under the Provincial Offences Procedures Act, community peace officers, in addition to police, will be able to issue tickets to enforce COVID-19 public health orders.

And late last week, the Province announced gatherings of no more than 15 people are allowed, except for under certain conditions.

Violations of the regulations could be costly.

Fines now administered through tickets for violating an order have increased from up to $100 per day to a prescribed fine of $1,000 per occurrence. Courts will also have increased powers to administer fines of up to $100,000 for a first offence and up to $500,000 for a subsequent offence for more serious violations.

Complaints will be directed through Alberta Health Services.

“Once they triage these complaints they will likely send them down to the local authorities to follow-up on and investigate,” said Stienwand,who is also Okotoks emergency management director. “This legislation should signal to those people who are not taking things seriously, that they absolutely need to.

“It is not about tickets, it’s really going to be about educating people. We will be working for compliance… ensuring that people are taking the appropriate measures...

“Our officers will be well versed in knowing the rules and guidelines in what is coming from the provincial authorities.”

Stienwand said in his observations Okotoks residents have been mostly in compliance – including keeping two metres apart when on pathways (which is not part of the regulations).

“We do enjoy a community of responsible people, for the most part people are really abiding by the regulations,” Stienwand said. “They are looking out for one another, they are communicating with their neighbours.

“On the walkways ensuring they have distance between them. We don’t see a lot of non-compliance in our community, but again it’s about ensuring that we are educating the people who may not be familiar with it or taking it as seriously as they should.”

He said the officers are well versed in social distancing – a phone call would be a likely first step to those not in compliance.

“If it requires an in-person visit we have measures in place to do that (safely) as well,” Stienwand said. “Our number-one priority is the health of our citizens and our staff. At this point our staffing level is solid and we are able to provide a continuing professional service to the community.”

Protective Services personnel has been trained for emergency situations, he stressed.

“But I think this pandemic has created unique challenges that we have all had to meet and in that way our training we had in place has served as well to be able to adapt to meet the emergency management needs of our community,” he said.

Further regulations announced last week include:

Albertans will no longer be able to access the services of so-called ‘close contact businesses’ such as hair salons and barbershops, tattoo studios, cosmetic services, as well as non-emergency and non-critical health services provided by regulated health or registered professionals such as dentists, physiotherapists, masseuses, podiatrists, chiropractors and optometrists.

Non-essential retail stores — such as clothing stores, furniture stores or computer and gaming stores — must now close for customers, but  Deena Hinshaw, Alberta chief medical officer of health, said they would still be allowed to sell merchandise for curb-side pickup.

All dine-in services at restaurants will be closed, however take-out, drive-through and delivery service is still allowed.

With files from Claire Theobald, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

COVID-19 UPDATE: Follow our COVID-19 special section for the latest local and national news on the coronavirus pandemic, as well as resources, FAQs and more.

 

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