The Supreme Court of Canada advised last week it will not hear appeals from two Ontario churches that challenged pandemic restrictions on in-person worship.
One of those, the Church of God in Aylmer, had previously been ordered to pay $274,000 in fines and costs for violating COVID-19 gathering limits, including three outdoor services in 2021.
The church, along with Trinity Bible Chapel in Waterloo, had already lost at Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice and Court of Appeal, which ruled the restrictions were a justifiable infringement on Canadians’ freedom of religion.
In May of this year, the two churches filed an application for leave to appeal their constitutional challenge to Ontario’s gathering restrictions to the Supreme Court.
Restrictions on gatherings were first imposed under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, in March, 2020.
In July of that year, Ontario introduced new legislation, the Reopening Ontario Act with orders restricting gatherings to as few as 10 people. It came into effect in September of that year.
Church of God Pastor Henry Hildebrandt called the court’s decision – quote – “Truly a sad day for liberty and justice in Canada.”
Hatim Kheir, a lawyer with the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms noted in a release, “We are disappointed to learn that the Supreme Court determined that this was not a matter of national importance. This is now the final word from the courts on the constitutionality of Ontario’s religious gathering restrictions.”
A related story can be found here.
Written by Ian McCallum
