Doors won't be locked at Trinity Bible Chapel as members continue to congregate
A church in Woolwich Township that has been fined several times for exceeding capacity limits during COVID-19 will not have its doors locked to keep people out.
The province's attorney general attempted to have the doors of Trinity Bible Chapel locked by the sheriff. The issue was brought before a Kitchener judge on Friday.
Justice Paul Sweeney denied the attorney general's call to lock the doors immediately and instead agreed to a request for an adjournment by the church's lawyer. The case was adjourned until May 11.
The church was ordered in January not to hold gatherings of more than 10 people. Then, provincial regulations changed to allow up to 15 per cent capacity.
The church was ticketed by regional bylaw after it was alleged 300 people attended an indoor service on April 4, Easter Sunday, when the 15 per cent capacity limits were in place.
Regional chair Karen Redman said during a media briefing on April 9 that the church's capacity is 570 people. The church says on its website that the capacity of the building is "way more than 600 people."
A lawyer for the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which is defending the church, told Justice Sweeney the church was following the new provincial regulations.
Justice Sweeney said "the interpretation given by the respondents is reasonable" but added, "To be clear, I am making no finding with respect to the actual conduct of the respondents."
Lawyers for the province then requested the judge order the church to follow all the regulations under the Reopening Ontario Act, which Justice Sweeney agreed to.
The centre said lawyers for the church "will immediately file a constitutional challenge against the new order, and will argue that the restrictions are unconstitutional."
Regional bylaw at church on Sunday
In a post on the church's website on April 13 senior pastor Jacob Reaume said there is "hysteria" over COVID-19 being "whipped up by governments and media."
He said the church has not had anyone die of COVID-19.
"You'd think we would have had at least one COVID funeral, especially with all the people flocking to our church for gatherings deemed 'unsafe' and potential super-spreaders," Reaume said. "We've not had one single person in our church die of COVID."
He did not indicate how many members of the church, if any, have tested positive for the virus.
In February, police said officers were investigating threats made to cause harm to the church building and members.
The Region of Waterloo confirmed Monday morning that bylaw staff were at the church this past Sunday but did not say why or if more tickets may be pending.
The church and six church elders have previously been fined $38,000 after being found in contempt of court for holding in-person church services that exceeded capacity limits. The church and the elders were also ordered to pay $45,000 in legal costs.