Prince Albert church at centre of COVID-19 outbreak fined $14,000
A photo originally posted to Facebook has been digitally altered to blur the faces of attendees. The photo shows a religious gathering held at the Full Gospel Outreach Centre in Prince Albert. Photo by facebook /Regina Leader-Post
Prince Albert’s Full Gospel Outreach Centre, which has been linked to a gospel revival outreach event tied to dozens of cases of COVID-19 in multiple communities, has been fined $14,000.
The province announced a $14,000 fine for a corporation for non-compliance with the public health act order and reopen Saskatchewan guidelines for places of worship Sunday. That amount includes a $10,000 fine and a $4,000 surcharge.
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Ten of the 28 tickets issued last year for violating COVID-19 restrictions were withdrawn or jurisdiction was lost, and only two fines have been paid in full.
Five ended in convictions and the other 13 charges are awaiting a court date. The number of tickets issued in January is not yet available, but the province took the unprecedented step last week of naming three bars that were issued tickets worth $14,000 apiece for alleged violations.
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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.
“I took this case because I am concerned with the ‘laws’ being made across the country by non-legislators. Orders, like the current Public Health Order made Nov. 26, 2020, for Saskatchewan, are being published at a fast rate with seemingly little regard for any other aspect of society besides public health.” Miller said the COVID-19 response is unprecedented, and law enforcement is scrambling to find ways to enforce laws, which never existed before. “Often, I’ve seen their inexperience with these new structures result in misapplication of the law and Charter breaches.” The church’s first court appearance is scheduled in Prince Albert Provincial Court on March 1.