Many pandemic fines have yet to be paid, stats from Halifax police reveal
Nova Scotia may be opening up but Halifax Regional Police (HRP) are still receiving hundreds of COVID related calls.
This month alone, officers have responded to 500 calls for COVID-related issues.
"Even though it does sound like a significant number of calls, the calls for service we are having tend to be going down. They tend to follow those peaks and valleys that we see with COVID itself," said Const. John MacLeod, spokesperson for the police force.
Nova Scotia first declared a state of emergency last March. Since that time, HRP have issued 455 tickets under both the Health Protection and Emergency Management Acts.
MacLeod says the most common things people have been ticketed for include people not wearing masks when they're supposed to, failing to self-isolate or exceeding mandated gathering limits.
As of July 26, here is the breakdown for how many tickets have been issued under both the Health Protection and Emergency Management Acts in Nova Scotia.
Health Protection Act
Total number of tickets issued: 1059
- Quashed, withdrawn, dismissed, or acquitted: 135
- Pending: 697
- Person deceased: 3
- Paid in full: 153
- Partially paid: 12
- Not yet paid: 59
Emergency Management Act
Total number of tickets issued : 271
- Quashed, withdrawn, dismissed, or acquitted: 59
- Pending: 127
- Paid in full: 63
- Partially paid: 2
- Not yet paid: 20
"It is interesting the large number that have been either acquitted or withdrawn," said lawyer David Fraser.
"I would be looking for a better breakdown, how many people have been found innocent, that's what an acquittal is and how many circumstances have the Crown said we're not going to proceed with this."
Fraser says he would like to see more context to go with the numbers; like what were the exact offences and how many businesses have been charged.
"Where have these tickets been issued, what do the recipients look like?" said Fraser.
Additional information about the tickets issued has been requested. The Department of Justice says it should be available by the end of the week.
In New Brunswick, there were 866 pandemic related tickets issued between March 2020 and July 2021.
Of the 539 tickets were filed in provincial court, 339 resulted in a conviction, 71 were withdrawn and five resulted in an acquittal. There are still 124 tickets before the courts.
321 of the 339 convictions resulted in finestotalling$86,794.50.
Officials say of the 327 remaining tickets, most would have been paid without attending court while some would have been withdrawn.
In New Brunswick, the minimum fine was originally $292.50 before moving to $580.50.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'The lost season': Winter comes to a close as Canada's warmest on record
The warmest winter on record could have far-reaching effects on everything from wildfire season to erosion, climatologists say, while offering a preview of what the season could resemble in the not-so-distant future unless steps are taken to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
NEW High thoughts: The habits of Canadian cannabis users are revealed in a new StatCan report
Statistics Canada has conducted a series of surveys to measure the impacts of legalized cannabis since the Cannabis Act took effect in 2018. The latest one, the 2023 National Cannabis Survey, sheds light on users' preferences and habits last year.
Freddie Mercury's home is on the market for first time since 1980 minus his 'exquisite clutter'
Freddie Mercury's sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century -- minus his "exquisite clutter."
NEW Where to watch the state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney
A state funeral for former prime minister Brian Mulroney will be held in Montreal on March 23. CTV News will have live special coverage of his funeral service.
Trump says Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and their religion
Former U.S. president Donald Trump on Monday charged that Jews who vote for Democrats 'hate Israel' and hate 'their religion,' igniting a firestorm of criticism from the White House and Jewish leaders.
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.