Manitobans fined $3.1 MILLION for violating COVID health orders: Report

Manitoba businesses defying the province's COVID public health orders faced repeated fines by law enforcement this week.

According to the province's latest enforcement report, Monstrosity Burger and Tuxedo Village Family Restaurant owners received four more $5,000 tickets.

The owners of two Tuxedo restaurants complained mid-September about the "fascism" their businesses faced as provincial health officials shut down eat-in dining and fined the establishments $40,000.

Their business made headlines last summer after they allegedly made a racist Facebook post.

"This country is pathetic, and we will lose every last bit of freedom if people don't stand up now," wrote Monstrosity Burger on social media.

In September, a video went viral after unmasked Winnipeg police officers picked up an order at Monstrosity Burger. Police said they were aware of the video and launched an investigation.

Global News reported law enforcement issued a dozen fines over the past three weeks for the Corydon Avenue eateries, whose owners described the restrictions as tantamount to "fascism" and "tyranny."

A GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at minimizing the financial blow of defiant businesses reached close to $5,400 Thursday. It too described the government's actions as "discriminatory" and "tyranny."

Since the end of August, the province mandated masks for all indoor public spaces across the province and proof of vaccination system to eat inside a restaurant or attend other venues.

"These measures are in place to reduce the transmission, therefore reduce the amount of severe outcomes we see that risk the health care system," said Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin.

"As well as bringing down the community transmission so we can keep kids in school, for example."

"We need all Manitobans to play their role. If we're going to have a good response to this fourth wave and have some of the things that are most important to us."

On top of the $30,000 in fines issued to Monstrosity Burger and Tuxedo Village Family Restaurant, four other places received $5,000 tickets from September 13 to 19, including CanadaInns Windsor Park and three places Winkler, including the Chicken Chef, Loblaws and Topper Family Restaurant.

According to the provincial government, law enforcement wrote 16 tickets totalling $72,592 in fines to businesses during the week of September 20 to 26.

Several of those businesses hail from Winkler and Steinbach, areas of vocal opposition to the provincial health orders and bolster lagging vaccination rates.

Winkler restaurants received $1,296 fines each, including the Del Rios Family Restaurant, the Iceburg Drive-In, and Twister's Burgers Fries & Malts.

Law enforcement fined Steinbach business Retro Chique the same amount while fining Great Canadian Oil Change $5,000.

Bong Traders Paraphernalia Co. on Main Street also received a $1,296 fine.

Winnipeg dinged Chaise Cafe and Lounge thrice to the amount of $5,000 tickets this week. Its owner, Shea Ritchie, told CBC he received the fines for allowing dancing, which is permitted if patrons are fully vaccinated and masked.

Ritchie stirred up controversy earlier in the pandemic for violating "unethical" social distancing restrictions.

Two MORFIT Training Centres in Winnipeg also received a combined total of three $5,000 tickets.

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman said Wednesday he wanted to shut down businesses that repeatedly violate the health orders. He supposedly wrote to Health Minister Audrey Gordon, urging the provincial government to exercise its authority under the Manitoba Health Act.

"I think doing so would go a long way to respecting all those law-abiding residents and businesses that are doing their part to responsibly protect the health and safety of their employees as well as our community," he said.

"I'm encouraging them to take that action where necessary."

Since enforcement efforts began in April 2020, law enforcement issued 2,167 tickets to businesses, individuals and places of worship worth a total of $3.1 million.