VANCOUVER -- When people returning to Canada arrive at Vancouver International Airport, they are told to go straight home and stay there for 14 days.
But in the past several weeks, West Vancouver police have found and fined four people $1,150 each for violating the Quarantine Act. Three of them were busted during a routine traffic stop.
“One group there was two occupants of this vehicle who were both issued that fine,” said Const. Kevin Goodmurphy. “They said they were off to Stanley Park for some exercise. So I don’t know what it is, whether they are not taking it seriously, or a little bit ignorant to the scope of all of this.”
The fourth person issued a Quarantine Act violation was the result of an anonymous tip to police.
Health Minister Adrian Dix said he wants to hear more about what West Vancouver police are finding, but it’s the responsibility of the federal government and not local police to monitor people under mandatory quarantine.
“It's our expectation that the federal government will do its work and I think it is,” said Dix. “But it's also our expectation that people who return to Canada fulfill their obligations to their families to their communities and to the country.”
Starting Nov. 21, international travellers arriving in Canada will have to submit their quarantine plans to the government digitally before boarding their flight, and will be required to check in daily either by phone or the ArriveCan app.
In a news release, the Public Health Agency of Canada said that travellers "who do not submit the mandatory information required after they have crossed the border will be considered high priority for follow up by law enforcement.”
Goodmurphy said while West Vancouver officers won’t be out looking for quarantine violators, if they find them, “we won’t tolerate that, and when we can we will issue tickets.”
