Anyone who is charged with violating emergency government orders during the COVID-19 pandemic will now be required to identify themselves or face a hefty fine.
The Ontario government has announced that anyone charged with an offence under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) will be required to provide their identity to a provincial offences officer.
"It is essential that measures are in place to allow provincial offences officers to lawfully require an individual to disclose their correct name, date of birth and address in order to protect our communities," said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones in a news release. "By providing provincial offences officers with this temporary power to obtain identifying information under the EMCPA, they will be able to enforce emergency orders during these extraordinary times."
The temporary power was granted through an emergency order on Tuesday in an effort to better protect people during the COVID-19 pandemic, the province said.
Anyone who fails to correctly identify themselves could be found to be obstructing a provincial offences officer and fined between $750 to $1,000.
Current emergency orders that could result in a charge under the EMCPA include the closure of non-essential businesses, prohibiting organized public events and social gatherings of more than five people and price gouging on necessary goods such as disinfectant products.
"It is the responsibility of all Ontarians to do their part and respect the emergency orders in place. We are supporting provincial offences officers in their critical work to enforce that responsibility and ensure the safety and well-being of Ontarians," said Jones.
Failing to comply with any of Ontario's emergency orders could carry punishments of up to one-year imprisonment or a fine of up to $100,000 for an individual, $500,000 for a director of a corporation, or $10,000,000 for a corporation.