The office of Minister of Public Safety and the Solicitor General provided orders to municipal bylaw enforcement officers, instructing them in their roles of enforcing public health orders.
City of Kimberley staff posted some clarification to their website on April 3 clarifying exactly what that looks like.
Bylaw officers are required to monitor the recreational areas and facilities that the City has closed due to public health orders. As of yet, they have not been given orders to detain people or issue fines or penalties to individuals or businesses suspected of breaching public health orders.
The City of Kimberley bylaw enforcement officer is on-duty and assisting with the enforcement of these orders by regularly visiting closed parks and facilities and ensuring local restaurants and personal services businesses are complying.
If they do observe a breach of public health orders, they are instructed to provide warnings as well as information and advice, and they’re able to report any contraventions to public health authorities.
This means that if, for example, Kimberley’s bylaw officer observes a large gathering of people, or people gathered in a closed area like a playground, they may approach them, offer them education as to why these areas are closed and why social distancing mandates are important, and then issue a warning.
The officer is then required to report the actions to the Public Health Authority who may decide to follow-up.
For any further concerns or clarification, you can contact the City Bylaw Enforcement officer at bylaw@kimberley.ca or call 250-427-9663.
