Local churches that break COVID-19 restrictions are still on the radar as far as the Municipality of Chatham-Kent is concerned.
Chief Administrative Officer Don Shropshire said there are still concerns about the number of people attending church services even with some of the COVID-19 restrictions being relaxed by the province in Step 1 of the reopening roadmap, which will be in effect until at least July 1, 2021. Step 2 and Step 3 still call for limited capacity at religious services, both indoors and outdoors.
Shropshire added recent services have had far more people attend than what is currently allowed. Chatham-Kent police have responded to some services with 100 in attendance indoors.
Chatham-Kent police continue working with the Crown to get a court injunction to lock local Old Colony Mennonite Churches that keep defying COVID-19 laws by holding services.
Those churches in Wheatley, Dresden, and Charing Cross have been on the receiving end of dozens of fines and summonses for holding Sunday services over the past six months.
Police Chief Gary Conn has said a court injunction could take weeks to be granted.
The Attorney General’s office has already forced the closure of at least two defiant churches in Ontario. Judges ordered court injunctions to close the doors at the Church of God in Aylmer and Trinity Bible Chapel in Kitchener.