Nearly $2M in COVID-19 tickets issued in B.C., but less than $400K paid

Nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic in B.C., officials have now issued almost $2 million in provincial COVID-19 tickets. But new data from ICBC reveals a little less than $400,000 of those fines have been paid.

The updated data from the insurance corporation, which is tasked with collecting the fines, show many tickets have been withdrawn, some remain disputed, and more than $600,000 is now outstanding.

Asked about the low rate of COVID-19 fine payment in the province on Thursday, Solicitor General and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth insisted there will be repercussions for people who violated public health orders.

"Those tickets will be paid. It may take a little time, but they will be paid," said Farnworth, adding that fines will be sent to a collections agency after 30 days if they haven't been disputed, and any outstanding fines will have to be paid when renewing ICBC insurance or a driver's license.

ICBC may take other measures to collect payment once a ticket is in collections, including wage and asset garnishment, placement of liens on property, and trying to seize personal assets through the courts.

According to ICBC, as of Feb. 12, 2,724 provincial tickets have been issued, and 736 have been paid.

Once a ticket is disputed, it begins to go through the court process. Farnworth pointed out that any decision to withdraw a ticket — and 120 have now been withdrawn — rests with the Attorney General's ministry, not his.

In addition to the withdrawn tickets, 270 have resulted in other cancellations, not guilty decisions in court, or remain in progress, meaning they're neither paid nor disputed.

Tickets in which the alleged offender is considered guilty, or have passed the 30 days to dispute them, account for 1,181. Four hundred and seventeen tickets are currently in dispute.

In terms of the total value:

Violation tickets have been issued for a range of reasons to individuals and businesses.

For example, business owners, operators and event organizers who fail to check someone's proof of vaccination for services and access to a venue can be fined $2,300.

The same amount can be issued to event organizers who don't follow COVID-19 measures.

People who attend a non-compliant event or encourage others to do so are subject to a $575 fine, while those who behave abusively toward a restaurant or bar employee in relation to public health orders can be fined $230.