Ottawa’s big box stores target of weekend government inspection blitz

Ottawa’s Big Box stores are next on the blitz list, as is other areas of the province like Windsor, Niagara and Durham, in an effort to curb high COVID-19 case numbers in Ontario.

According to an announcement by the province Saturday, the government will be carrying out workplace inspections in the cities this weekend to make sure essential businesses can continue to operate during the province wide shutdown.

The province says it wants to make sure workers and customers are properly protected from COVID-19.

“Our government is confident that the majority of workplaces in Ottawa, Windsor, Niagara and Durham are taking the necessary steps to protect their patrons and staff, while helping to reduce the spread of the pandemic,” Monte McNaughton, minister of labour, training and skills development, said in a statement. “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.”

More than 300 provincial offences officers, as well as local public health inspectors and municipal bylaw officers, will continue to visit a variety of other workplaces like retail establishments, restaurants providing take-out and essential service-sector establishments like gas stations.

Corporations can now be fined $1,000 for failing to comply with an order under the acts.

If convicted, the court can impose fines as high as $100,000 for individuals, and directors and officers of a corporation can be fined up to $500,000.

Both could also get prison sentences of up to one year.

The maximum fine for a corporation on conviction of an offence is up to $10,000,000.