Enforcement has stepped up to ensure Black Diamond and Turner Valley residents are complying with self-isolation and social distancing regulations, and most are taking it seriously.
Turner Valley’s director of emergency management Gerry Rooke said no one has been caught violating the regulations since RCMP, peace officers and municipal enforcement officers were given full authority in late March to enforce public health orders to protect the health and safety of Albertans.
“We’re doing strong education in preference of fines and I don’t know that we’re going to have to do fines at all,” Rooke said. “In general, people in Turner Valley have recognized the seriousness of the pandemic and are being compliant.”
Public health restrictions include 14 days of self-isolation for returning international travellers or people who have come in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19; 10 days of self-isolation for people with symptoms not related to a pre-existing illness or health condition including cough, fever, shortness of breath, runny nose or sore throat; mass gatherings; operating a non-essential businesses; and unauthorized visits to nursing homes, supportive living and long-term care facilities, seniors lodges and residential addiction treatment facilities.
Rooke said Turner Valley peace officers have been out in the community ensuring the restrictions are being followed.
“There hasn’t been any violations,” he said. “The general public is recognizing the seriousness of this and they’re just simply being compliant.”
Senior peace officer Jim Berry in Black Diamond said besides talking to some teenagers at the skateboard park on two occasions, citizens have been compliant with the restrictions.
“I haven’t seen anyone in the playgrounds and around the school,” he said, adding signs were posted to remind people of social distancing restrictions. “I’ve walked the off-leash park to make sure people are social distancing and everybody is doing the right thing.”
Berry said the skateboard park has become a minor problem. Last week he caught 14 teenagers smoking marijuana on the grounds.
“I just told them not to come back,” he said. “I’m going to educate first to make sure people know the rules and then if I have to deal with people twice or three times then I will definitely use that authority that I’ve been given.”
Although barricades were since put up around the park to keep people out, Berry saw three teens there earlier this week. One was an 18-year-old who he addressed last week, he said.
“I have the authority to send him a ticket for disobeying the rules and regulations for that part of the act since he knew about it and it was a closed recreational area,” he said. “The other two I gave warnings because I hadn’t seen them there before.”
Berry said people choosing to disobey social distancing and self-isolation regulations could face a $1,000 fine with a $200 victim surcharge.
“People know that they’re not supposed to be gathering,” he said. “This cold weather probably deterred a lot of kids from being outside, but next week is maybe a determining factor when it gets up to 10 degrees.”
For more information about the public health order visit www.alberta.ca
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