Local police services respond to Ontario legislation to enforce arbitrary stops

Local police services are responding to the legislation that the Ontario government announced on Friday permitting officers to stop citizens and enforce the stay-at-home order on non-essential travelers. These regulations falls under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) and is aimed at slowing down the spread of COVID-19.

The new orders went into effect at 12:01 a.m. this morning. However, details of the legislation are being sent to authorities for review today. In the meantime local police stations are saying they will not be conducting arbitrary vehicle and person stops.

Hamilton Police remain committed to providing the highest quality policing services. We want to assure #HamOnt citizens that members will NOT be conducting arbitrary vehicle and person stops for the sole purpose of enforcing the Stay-at-Home order. https://t.co/ROkcmkCAsS

— Hamilton Police (@HamiltonPolice) April 17, 2021

“Hamilton Police Service will be reviewing the new regulations when we receive them and prior to any change in our enforcement strategy,” Hamilton police said in a statement. “We will notify the public on how we plan to implement the new provincial orders.”

To our amazing Halton citizens. We are all going through a horrific year of COVID-19 and all associated with it together. The HRPS will NOT be randomly stopping vehicles for no reason during the pandemic or afterwards (RIDE being an exception). @GaryCarrHalton @CouncillorKnoll

— Chief Steve Tanner (@ChiefTanner) April 17, 2021

Halton police chief Steve Tanner says that they will only enforce regulations when necessary.

The Niagara Regional Police Service is continuing to review the new provincial #COVID19 regulations to ensure appropriate enforcement.

We will not be conducting random vehicle or individual stops.https://t.co/QsZZKOEWH1 pic.twitter.com/jak9ectWce

— NRPS (@NiagRegPolice) April 17, 2021

“We will not be conducting random vehicle or individual stops,” Niagara Police said in a statement. “As before, our initiatives will be both complaint driven or proactive, with the goal of gaining compliance. Those that refuse to comply will receive the appropriate penalty.”

BPS is continuing to review the new provincial COVID regulations to ensure appropriate enforcement. We ask members of the public to do your part to ensure the health and safety of our entire community. We will not be conducting random vehicle or individual stops.

— Brantford Police (@BrantfordPolice) April 17, 2021

Local mayors are also speaking against arbitrary stops.

Police stops as described are very problematic and not something I will support.

This lends itself to another round of carding that I was happy to ban in #HamOnt and was subsequently banned in the province. https://t.co/FzuuaoplDH

— Fred Eisenberger (@HamiltonsMayor) April 17, 2021

I have grave concerns about new powers to arbitrarily stop residents and many residents do too. I’ve initiated a conversation with @HRPSBurl @HRPSOak @HRPSMiltHH on how these will be enforced. So far Waterloo, Ottawa, Guelph, London have said they will not conduct random stops. pic.twitter.com/tgk4AKmbug

— Marianne Meed Ward (@MariannMeedWard) April 17, 2021

Tickets will be around $750 for those who are stopped and not compliant with officers.