$14K COVID-19 fine dropped against Prince Albert, Sask , gospel outreach centre cbc.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cbc.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Regina / 980 CJME
May 22, 2021 | 6:49 AM
A Prince Albert church group is no longer on the hook for a $14,000 fine it received from government authorities in October, after allegedly violating public health orders and provincial COVID-19 guidelines.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, Public Prosecutions assesses each case individually to determine whether it meets the prosecution standard, and may only proceed with a case where they have a reasonable likelihood of conviction and where it is in the public interest to do so.
“The standard was not met in this case, as the evidence did not provide a reasonable likelihood of conviction,” the Ministry wrote in an email to paNOW.
PRINCE ALBERT The Prince Albert Full Gospel Outreach Centre is heading to court to fight a $14,000 fine issued for violating COVID-19 public health orders. A Saskatchewan Health Authority public health officer handed over the ticket to Pastor Vern Temple in October. The fine was issued for non-compliance to public health orders and places of worship guidelines during a 100-day revival series. The event was connected to 86 first and second generation COVID-19 cases in 17 different communities in the province. Temple said COVID-19 restrictions show an inequity towards religious organizations. He questioned why the government allows large groups of people to shop at a liquor store, while religious services are limited to 30. At the time of the fine, places of worship were allowed up to 150 people while following public health measures.