A total of 21 tickets and 26 orders were issued over the weekend as inspectors fanned out across the region to inspect workplaces to make sure they are following COVID-19 protocols.
Provincial inspectors were joined by their colleagues from the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, the City of Windsor, Amherstburg, Tecumseh, and Leamington as they enforced requirements under the Reopening Ontario Act and the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
The Ministry of Labour, Training, and Skills Development told BlackburnNews.com 97 businesses in the region were visited. Inspectors are not done. They will continue to check other workplaces too, including retail stores, restaurants, and gas stations.
In total, the Ministry said the inspectors handed out 26 orders and issued 21 tickets for violations on Saturday and Sunday.
The Windsor Essex County Health Unit asked inspectors to prioritize 225 businesses across the region that have been found in violation of COVID-19 rules in the past.
The Ontario government announced on Saturday it was expanding a recent blitz to include Windsor, Ottawa, the Niagara Region, and the Durham Region. In all, 640 businesses were inspected. Eighty tickets and 100 orders were issued.
"Our government is confident that the majority of workplaces -- are taking the necessary steps to protect their patrons and staff," said Minister of Labour, Training, and Skills Development Monte McNaughton. "However, if we find that businesses are putting the safety of workers and customers at risk, our government will not hesitate to take immediate action."
Getting caught not following the protocols is expensive. For a business, the fines can start at $1,000, but more serious violations and repeat offences could cost as much as $500,000 and a year in jail for corporate directors and officers. Corporations could be fined $10-million.
Individual employees and even patrons could face fines of $750, going up to $100,000.
During the recent blitz in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, 69 per cent of businesses were compliant, but inspectors also found 76 violations at 240 big-box stores.
The most common violations were inadequate screening for the virus, having too many people in the business, and not having a safety plan.
