Ontario business owner Alexandra Stewart has been handed a heavy blow by the Ontario Court of Justice in North Bay.

Ms. Stewart, a staunch critic of Covid-19 restrictions, was handed 38 separate offences under the Reopening Ontario Act and the Health Protection and Promotion Act between January and April of 2021, citing continued non-compliance with Covid health regulations.

At the time, these regulations demanded that businesses remain closed to the public, even prohibiting curbside pick-up as an option for struggling business owners. Conviction for non-compliance can result in penalties of $5000 per day.

In June the Ontario Court of Justice rendered its decision to convict Stewart on 36 of the 38 charges, with two being dismissed.

A separate criminal charge of disobeying a court order was withdrawn, citing “no public interest” in pursuing.

According to the North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit, under the umbrella of the public health regime, they will continue to “conduct progressive enforcement and prosecutions of public health offences” as necessary.

Stewart and her legal counsel have indicated the potential for an appeal, after a careful review of the decision.

In Stewart’s words, “People know that not only do lockdowns not work, they are extremely harmful and the collateral damage from them is devastating”.   “The impact the lockdowns are having on small businesses is disastrous. Every week I have small business owners calling me in distress. As a community, we need to work together to help these people and find a more balanced approach to the problems we are facing.”

We couldn’t agree more.

Many options were available, however the rhetoric pushed by our highest government emboldened these agencies and provincial governments to adopt a heavy-handed approach that would destroy private businesses across our country while benefiting large corporations whose profits do not benefit any community.

The judgement issued in Ms. Stewart’s case in no way attempts to balance the rights of the individual with these unnecessarily aggressive mandates.

We look forward to a more balanced decision on appeal.