City of Hamilton will start publicly naming businesses that break COVID-19 rules
- Craig Clark
- 12 Nov 2020
Hamilton city council decided on Wednesday that they will start making public a list of local businesses that are fined for breaking COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
This decision comes after pressure from residents to tell the public which businesses have been misbehaving during strict municipal and provincial rules and guidelines.
This might make #HamOnt Ontario's most transparent city re: disclosure of COVID rule-breaking businesses. Other cities said they do not release this info, even on request. Ottawa releases on request. In Hamilton, all info will be posted online.https://t.co/OJbBLhdrvp @thespec
— Katrina Clarke (@KatrinaAClarke) November 12, 2020
A Stoney Creek restaurant was fined $3,000 for violating provincial guidelines on Saturday. The city withheld the name of the restaurant saying that they are only required to release that information if the business is a risk to public health.
Residents then said they deserve to know the names of businesses in violation of the rules so they can decide for themselves if they want to patronize them.
It was stated by councillor John-Paul Danko that it might not be fair to some businesses who are doing everything correctly but are put in difficult positions by irresponsible patrons.
Danko was referring to the recent strife a Niagara Falls restaurant was put under after Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff and his family failed to listen to staff and safety guidelines during a gathering in October.
Oosterhoff posted several pictures to his Facebook page of his entire family gathered in close proximity. The restaurant later commented on the situation that the Oosterhoff family failed to listen to the restaurant rules even after being reminded several times by the staff.
Names of Hamilton businesses that violate COVID-19 protocols will be published online on a go-forward basis.
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