Ontario church fined $85K for worship gathering amid lockdown | World News christianpost.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from christianpost.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
KITCHENER Officials with the Region of Waterloo reported 26 enforcement actions for people not following COVID-19 guidelines, including court summonses for Trinity Bible Chapel and tickets for multiple private gatherings. Regional Chair Karen Redman said 15 charges were issued between April 29 and May 5, while 11 others were from the previous reporting period. Waterloo bylaw issued six summons to appear in court to Trinity Bible Chapel. Redman said one was for the church itself and the rest are for church elders for organizing a gathering. Fines will be determined by the courts. Curves & Contours Body Sculpting received a summons for remaining open during the shutdown order. Redman said that fine will also be determined by the court.
Trinity Bible Chapel in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada | Facebook/Trinity Bible Chapel
A judge in Ontario, Canada, has allowed authorities to temporarily lock the doors of a church that has refused to follow provincial restrictions on gatherings aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
The attorney general’s office for Ontario had police lock the doors of Trinity Bible Chapel of Waterloo through next Saturday to prevent in-person worship services.
The move came as part of a temporary injunction against the chapel in which Justice John Krawchenko concluded that closing the church was a matter of public safety.
“The risk of irreparable harm would be too great to ignore,” said Krawchenko, as reported by the CTV News. “The only way to ensure compliance is to lock the doors to the building, but not to their ministry.”
KITCHENER Last week, a judge granted a temporary injunction to lock the doors at Trinity Bible Chapel. The church itself, church elders and people who attended services have all faced charges over the past few months following in-person services exceeding provincial limits. Under the current stay-at-home order, religious services are capped at 10 people indoors and outdoors. The church shifted to drive-in services following charges at the end of December and beginning of January. However, they reopened for in-person services in February and also held services above the provincial limit throughout the month of April. Here s a look at what s happened at the church over the past few months:
Trinity Bible Chapel in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada | Facebook/Trinity Bible Chapel
A judge in Ontario, Canada, has allowed authorities to temporarily lock the doors of a church that has refused to follow provincial restrictions on gatherings aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.
The attorney general’s office for Ontario had police lock the doors of Trinity Bible Chapel of Waterloo through next Saturday to prevent in-person worship services.
The move came as part of a temporary injunction against the chapel in which Justice John Krawchenko concluded that closing the church was a matter of public safety.
“The risk of irreparable harm would be too great to ignore,” said Krawchenko, as reported by the CTV News. “The only way to ensure compliance is to lock the doors to the building, but not to their ministry.”