The Yukon has laid six charges under the Civil Emergency Measures Act (CEMA) related to violations of COVID-19 measures since April, with the majority of tickets handed out for failing to self-isolate.
Four incidents where people failed to self-isolate took place between April 14 and 23, June 5, July 28 and Aug. 3, Breagha Fraser, a spokesperson for the Yukon’s emergency coordination centre, said in an email Aug. 18. All resulted in a $500 fine, with three also receiving a $75 victim fine surcharge.
The two other offences, which took place on June 15 and July 3, were failing to behave consistently with a declaration and failure to transit and behave consistently with a declaration, respectively. Both also earned $500 fines with $75 victim fine surcharges.
That’s a total of $3,000 in fines, with $375 in victim fine surcharges, since the Yukon began enforcing COVID-19 measures.
Several Yukon government spokespeople have told the News that they cannot provide the names of individuals who have been ticketed due to privacy concerns.
The News has been unable to view all but one of the court files related to the tickets, which would provide more details about the offences, as court staff have said they cannot look up files without the names of the accused.
The only person who has appeared in court in relation to a COVID-19-related offence was the first person to be charged in the territory, a Whitehorse resident who travelled to Alberta and failed to self-isolate upon return, telling his roommates and employer that he had gone to Dawson City.
Contact Jackie Hong at jackie.hong@yukon-news.com