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Restez informés sur les incidences que la COVID-19 peut avoir sur votre entreprise, avec les développements récents au Canada et des ressources de tous les paliers de gouvernement pour divers secteurs d’activités. Consultez régulièrement notre site pour connaître les dernières annonces concernant les changements législatifs et réglementaires, ainsi que les liens vers les programmes et les ressources disponibles.
Le 19 mars, le gouvernement du Nouveau-Brunswick a a déclaré l’état d’urgence dans la province et a annoncé la fermeture de plusieurs services. Les rassemblements sont limités à 10 personnes.
Le gouvernement a précisé dans des directives publiées le 19 mars que les « activités de construction se poursuivent et qu’elles ne sont pas interdites par cette déclaration ».
Le Nouveau-Brunswick n'a pas limité les activités sur les chantiers de construction, bien que toutes les mesures raisonnables doivent être prises pour assurer le respect des mesures de distanciation de deux mètres entre chaque personne et des recommandations sanitaires en vigueur.
Pour plus de détails, consultez le communiqué.
On March 22, Nova Scotia declared a provincial state of emergency.
By order dated March 25, gatherings must be kept to five persons or less. Workplaces are allowed to operate but must ensure that all persons keep 2 meters away from each other. The 5-person rule does not apply to businesses and organizations who can maintain social distancing requirements, including “construction sites”. The social distancing requirements do not apply to contractors of municipal entitles for road maintenance and repair, transport systems, and municipal repair services.
Though a detailed list has not been provided, the government news release indicates broadly that “construction and manufacturing” is an essential sector.
Nova Scotia has not limited work on construction sites but the sites should be able to accommodate social distancing of 2 metres. Construction is defined as an essential service.
For more information, please see the OSC's website.
For more information, please see: https://decisia.lexum.com/tsx/sn/en/466093/1/document.do.
L’Agence de revenu du Canada (ARC) a annoncé le 20 mars les mesures supplémentaires suivantes, qui sont entrées en vigueur immédiatement :
Recouvrements
Vérifications
Oppositions et appels
Vous avez des questions?
Pour les obligations que les employeurs sont tenus de respecter pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, consultez le site Web d'Emploi et Développement social Canada, le communiqué du gouvernement de l'Ontario et la page FAQ de la CNESST.
Pour les ressources, les pratiques exemplaires et les renseignements destinés à aider les employeurs du secteur de la construction à comprendre leurs droits et leurs responsabilités dans le cadre du maintien de leurs opérations pendant la pandémie de COVID-19, veuillez consultez le site Web du gouvernement de l'Ontario.
The BC government issued the notice COVID-19 Action Plan – Provincial Tax Changes, providing limited relief measures for provincial taxes. Highlights of these measures include:
Manitoba Finance released a Retail Sales Tax (RST) Notice extending RST filing and remittance deadlines. In particular:
On March 25, Finance Minister Rod Phillips released Ontario's Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19 (March 2020 Economic and Fiscal Update).
The government's action plan is a first step in its response to COVID-19 and includes $7 billion in additional resources for the health care system and direct support for people and jobs. It also will make available $10 billion in support for people and businesses through tax and other deferrals to improve their cash flow, protecting jobs and household budgets.
Among other things, the action plan includes:
Cutting taxes by $355 million for about 57,000 employers through a proposed temporary increase to the Employer Health Tax (EHT) exemption. The EHT exemption is temporarily increased from $490,000 to $1 million, retroactive to January 1, 2020. Those who have already paid will have their returns corrected.
Making available $6 billion by providing five months of interest and penalty relief (i.e., until September 1, 2020) for businesses to file and make payments for the majority of provincially administered taxes such as employer health tax; tobacco tax; fuel tax; gas tax; beer, wine, and spirits tax; mining tax; insurance premium tax; international fuel tax agreement; retail sales on insurance contracts and benefit plans; and race tracks tax.
Relief is automatic without any need to notify the Ministry of Finance. Penalties and interest for the relief period will be waived automatically. There is no requirement to show the impact of COVID-19 on staff or daily operations. Pre-existing debts owing to the government (outstanding taxes, interest, penalties) from previous filing periods will, however, continue to accrue interest during the relief period.
For more information on Ontario’s action plan, please see: https://news.ontario.ca/mof/en/2020/03/ontarios-action-plan-responding-to-covid-19.html?utm_source=ondemand&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=o
For Ontario’s March 2020 Economic and Fiscal Update in response to COVID-19 (of relevance for tax matters), please see: https://budget.ontario.ca/2020/marchupdate/pdf/2020-marchupdate.pdf
On April 1, the government launched a new $50 million Ontario Together Fund to help businesses provide innovative solutions or retool their operations in order to manufacture essential medical supplies and equipment, including gowns, coveralls, masks, face shields, testing equipment and ventilators.
This fund will support the development of proposals submitted by businesses and individuals through the Ontario Together web portal.
For more information, please see: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/04/ontario-joins-forces-with-the-private-sector-to-fight-covid-19.html
For a 45-day period, the Government of Ontario has suspended time-of-use electricity rates, holding electricity prices to the off-peak rate of 10.1 cents-per-kilowatt-hour - 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
For more information, please see: https://news.ontario.ca/opo/en/2020/03/ontario-providing-electricity-relief-to-families-small-businesses-and-farms-during-covid-19.html.
The Ontario Government is enabling $1.9 billion in relief for employers to reduce the financial strain brought on by COVID-19. The measure, which will run through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), will see premium payments deferred for six months (until August 31) for all businesses in the province.
For more information, please see: https://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2020/03/ontario-enabling-financial-relief-for-businesses-1.html
The quarterly (June 30) remittance of education property tax to school boards will be delayed by 90 days, with the intention being that municipalities provide property tax deferrals locally.
The Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee has developed temporary guidelines to assist Ontario charities in danger of closing, allowing eligible charities to access the income and capital of restricted purpose trust funds for operating expenses. Read more here.
Le mercredi 25 mars, le Conseil de la ville d'Ottawa examinera une motion visant à ajuster les taux de location pour les locataires commerciaux, tels que les cafétérias et les cantines, dans les installations d'Ottawa qui ont été fermées dans le cadre de la réponse à COVID-19, afin de refléter la durée de fermeture de ces installations.
Afin de soutenir la communauté et l’économie locale, tous les établissements de détail sont exemptés jusqu’à nouvel ordre du Règlement sur le bruit de la Ville d’Ottawa relativement aux livraisons, ce qui signifie que les livraisons peuvent avoir lieu à tout moment de la journée pour assurer que les rayons des magasins sont bien approvisionnés en produits essentiels. Pour plus détails, consultez le site Web de la Ville d’Ottawa.
En partenariat avec le Groupe de travail des partenaires économiques, la Ville d’Ottawa a lancé la première phase d’une campagne publicitaire en ligne visant à aider les entreprises locales en ces temps difficiles.
La campagne encourage les résidents à soutenir leurs petites entreprises favorites en prenant immédiatement des mesures concrètes. La campagne comprend des publicités ciblées qui joindront les résidents sur plusieurs plateformes en ligne au cours des prochaines semaines et les dirigeront vers ottawa.ca/acheterlocal. Les résidents y trouveront des liens vers des sites qui répertorient les entreprises qui servent leurs clients virtuellement ou qui fournissent des plats et des repas pour emporter.
Ottawa lance également une page web pour permettre aux entreprises d'accéder aux informations essentielles et aux programmes de soutien. Cette page contiendra des liens vers les programmes d'aide provinciaux et fédéraux, ainsi que des détails sur les mesures offertes par Ottawa pour aider les entreprises dans les semaines et les mois à venir. Cela comprend le report de l'impôt foncier et d'autres mesures d'allégement que le Conseil a approuvées lors de sa réunion du 25 mars.
Loi sur les mesures d’urgence, S.R.C. 1985, ch. 22 (4e suppl.)
Cette loi définit l’urgence nationale comme une situation urgente et critique qui met gravement en danger la vie, la santé ou la sécurité des Canadiens qui échappe à la capacité ou aux pouvoirs d’intervention des provinces ET à laquelle il n’est pas possible de faire face adéquatement sous le régime des lois du Canada. Les deux parties de ce critère juridique doivent être remplies avant que le Canada puisse déclarer une urgence nationale.
La Loi permet de prendre des mesures temporaires spéciales, sous le contrôle du Parlement, en ce qui concerne différents types de situations d’urgence nationale. La pandémie de COVID-19 serait un « sinistre », car elle donne lieu aux critères énoncés de danger pour la vie, de perturbation sociale ou de panne des services essentiels si grave qu’elle constitue une urgence nationale.
Une fois qu’une urgence nationale est déclarée, les ordonnances peuvent comprendre, par exemple :
Loi sur la mise en quarantaine, L.C. 2005, ch. 20
La Loi sur la mise en quarantaine est un exemple de loi fédérale déjà existante qui a été invoquée pendant la pandémie de COVID-19.
En vertu de la Loi sur la mise en quarantaine, le gouverneur en conseil peut prendre des décrets interdisant l’entrée au Canada de toute catégorie de personnes qui se sont trouvées dans un pays étranger où il y a une épidémie de maladie transmissible qui poserait un risque imminent et grave pour la santé publique au Canada et où il n’existe aucune autre solution raisonnable. La Loi ne s’applique qu’aux voyageurs internationaux ou à d’autres personnes à un point « d’entrée ou de départ ».
La Loi confère également au ministre de la Santé le pouvoir d’établir des installations de mise quarantaine et habilite les agents de quarantaine ou de contrôle à interroger les voyageurs internationaux entrants, entre autres pouvoirs. De plus, en vertu des pouvoirs de mise en quarantaine prévus par la Loi, le gouvernement peut mettre en quarantaine, à leur retour au pays, les Canadiens qui se trouvaient à bord de navires de croisière frappés par une éclosion de COVID-19.
Loi sur l’aéronautique, L.R.C. (1985), ch. A-2
La Loi sur l’aéronautique s’applique à tous les aéronefs, passagers et membres d’équipage canadiens, même lorsqu’ils se trouvent à l’étranger. Les ordonnances prises en vertu de cette loi ont réorienté les vols internationaux de passagers vers quatre aéroports internationaux à Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver et Calgary. Le ministre des Transports a exigé des transporteurs aériens commerciaux en route vers le Canada qu’ils refusent l’embarquement à tout passager qui n’est pas citoyen canadien ou résident permanent, avec certaines exceptions. De plus, les transporteurs aériens devaient refuser l’embarquement à tout voyage présentant des symptômes de la COVID-19, quel que soit son statut de citoyenneté.
Loi sur la gestion des urgences, L.C. 2007, ch. 15
Cette loi fédérale prévoit que le ministre de la Sécurité publique et de la Protection civile est chargé de diriger la gestion des urgences au Canada en coordonnant les activités de gestion des urgences entre les institutions gouvernementales en coopération avec les provinces et d’autres entités. En consultation avec le ministre des Affaires étrangères, le ministre peut élaborer des programmes mixtes de gestion des urgences avec les autorités américaines compétentes et coordonner l’intervention du Canada en cas d’urgence aux États-Unis.
La Loi énonce également les responsabilités des ministres chargés d’une institution gouvernementale quant à la préparation de plans de gestion des urgences qui tiennent compte des risques pour l’institution. Le gouverneur en conseil peut déclarer que les urgences provinciales relèvent du gouvernement fédéral et, le cas échéant, autoriser le ministre à fournir une aide financière à la province, si celle-ci en fait la demande.
Public Health Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. P-37
On March 17, 2020, the Government of Alberta declared a state of public health emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As announced by Premier Jason Kenney and Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, the declaration of a state of public health emergency empowers authorities under the Public Health Act to respond to the ongoing pandemic.
The following are some of the key measures the Government of Alberta has taken to combat the spread of COVID-19 to date:
Updates on rules and restrictions and the Alberta response to COVID-19 can be found here.
Emergency Management Act, R.S.A. 2000, c. E-6.8
On March 20, 2020, the Government of Alberta amended the Emergency Management Act in order to allow the co-existence of provincial and local states of emergency. The amendments now allow the provincial and municipal levels of government to work together in their response emergencies and disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information, see here.
Local states of emergencies have been declared in 25 Alberta municipalities, including Calgary and Edmonton, where additional closures and measures have been implemented to control the spread of COVID-19. Information on the measures being taken by municipalities in response to the pandemic can be found on municipal websites and local news sources.
Emergency Program Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 11
B.C.’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2020, one day after the provincial health officer declared a public health emergency under B.C’s Public Health Act. Declaring a state of emergency allows the provincial government to implement any provincial emergency measures required, including access to land and human resource assets that may be necessary to prevent, respond to or alleviate the effects of an emergency. Emergency powers also include securing critical supply chains to make sure people have access to essential goods and services, and ensuring that infrastructure necessary in a response is readily available.
The state of emergency is initially in effect for 14 days, once issued, and may be extended or rescinded as necessary. The state of emergency applies to the whole province and allows federal, provincial and local resources to be delivered in a co-ordinated effort.
Once a state of emergency has been declared, the minister may, for example:
Construct works considered by the minister to be necessary or appropriate to respond to or alleviate the effects of an emergency
Public Health Act, S.B.C. 2008, c. 28
The Public Health Act provides for a wide variety of public health measures including the prevention and reporting of disease and other health hazards. For example, a medical health officer or the provincial health officer may issue orders with respect to infectious agents, including requiring a person to:
On March 17, Dr. Bonnie Henry issued an enforceable class order under sections 27, 28, 29 and 67 of the act that required all persons in BC who were returning from travel outside of Canada to self-isolate for 14 days and follow other steps.
The Act also includes Emergency Powers, which apply in the event of an immediate and significant risk to public health in a local or regional area of the province. The emergency powers generally allow the provincial health officer to act with speed, avoiding certain procedural steps that may be required in a non-emergent situation.
The Emergency Measures Act, C.C.S.M. c. E80
Under section 10 of this Act, on March 20, 2020, Manitoba declared a state of emergency applying to the entire province in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act provides authority to the provincial government to issue orders to any party for the purpose of preventing or limiting loss of life and damage to property or the environment, including the following:
The Public Health Act, C.C.S.M. c. P210
Under Part 6 of the Act, the Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) may take special measures if they reasonably believe that a serious and immediate threat to public health exists because of an epidemic. The special measures include issuing directions to manage the threat, to a regional health authority, health corporation, health care organization, operator of a laboratory, operator of a licensed emergency medical response system, health professional or healthcare provider, including directions about:
In addition, subject to government approval during an epidemic, the CPHO’s emergency or special measures authority includes the ability to:
The CPHO and medical officers may issue directions to professionals and health facilities requiring them to comply with protocols or guidelines aimed at controlling a communicable disease.
For example, orders aimed at controlling and minimizing the risk of diseases transmission may be issued to a hospital, personal care home, or facilities for the care and treatment of the elderly or other persons highly vulnerable to infection, where an in patient or resident has or may have been exposed to a communicable disease.
In addition, the CPHO or a medical officer may, by order, require a person who is or might be infected with a communicable disease to:
Loi sur les mesures d’urgence (L.R.N.-B. 2011, ch. 147)
Le Nouveau-Brunswick a déclaré l'état d'urgence le 19 mars 2020. En cas d'état d'urgence, le ministre dispose des pouvoirs suivants (section 12) :
Loi sur la santé publique (L.N.-B. 1998, ch. P-22.4)
La Loi sur la santé publique donne des pouvoirs au ministre et au médecin-hygiéniste en chef.
En cas d'urgence de santé publique, le ministre peut prendre possession de tout terrain ou bâtiment sans le consentement du propriétaire., lequel recevra une indemnité pour cet usage ou cette possession (article 26).
Lorsque l'urgence de santé publique résulte d'une maladie, le ministre ou le médecin-hygiéniste en chef peut déclarer cette maladie comme étant une « maladie à déclaration obligatoire ». (article 26.1) Une fois qu'elle est déclarée comme une maladie à déclaration obligatoire, une série de personnes doivent signaler l'existence de cette maladie au médecin. Il s'agit notamment des médecins, des infirmiers et infirmières praticiens (article 27.1), des responsables d'établissements (article 28), des directeurs d’école ou d’exploitants d’un établissement de garderie éducative (article 29), des directeurs généraux d’une régie régionale de la santé (article 30) et des pharmaciens dans certaines circonstances.
Le médecin peut ordonner à une personne atteinte d'une maladie à déclaration obligatoire de s'isoler (article 33(3)), de se soumettre à un examen, de se placer sous les soins et le traitement d'un médecin, de se comporter de manière à ne pas exposer d'autres personnes à l'infection (article 33(4)).
Si une personne ne se conforme pas à un ordre du médecin, elle peut demander au tribunal d'exécuter ses ordres (article 36(1)).
Le médecin a également divers pouvoirs d'inspection pour s'assurer que les personnes se conforment à leurs ordres (article 43(1)
NFLD declared a public health emergency on March 18, 2020.
Emergency Services Act, S.N.L. 2008, c. E-9.1
After a provincial emergency is declared, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council may do and authorize things necessary to protect people, property and the environment from injury or loss arising from an emergency including the following (ss.11(2)):
Public Health Protection and Promotion Act, S.N.L. 2018, c. P-37.3
On March 18 2020, the Health Minister of Newfoundland and Labrador declared a public health emergency. Under this statute, a “public health emergency” is defined as an “occurrence or imminent threat posed by a communicable disease that presents a serious risk to the health of the population.” Such a declaration may last initially or no more than 14 days, but subject to the advice of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, a declaration can be extended for further, consecutive periods of 14 days.
Part VI of the Act provide authority to the Minister of Health, on the recommendation of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, to declare a public health emergency in all or part of the province, where the emergency exists and where the emergency cannot be sufficiently mitigated without resorted to the special measures available under the Act.
The special measures available to the CMOH include, for example:
If a provincial emergency is declared under the Emergency Services Act, and there is a conflict between the Public Health Protection and Promotion Act, and the Emergency Services Act, the Emergency Services Act is to prevail.
COVID-19 is a communicable disease under the legislation. Accordingly, a regional medical officer of health or the CMOH may make a communicable disease order with respect to individual persons, for example, orders that:
The Minister of Health, on the recommendation of the Chief Public Health Officer, declared a state of emergency on March 18, 2020 pursuant to the Public Health Act.
Emergency Management Act, S.N.W.T. 2018, c.17
Once a state of emergency is declared, the Minister may do the following (ss. 17(1)):
Public Health Act, S.N.W.T. 2007, c.17
During a state of public health emergency, the Chief Public Health Officer may, for the purpose of protecting the public health and preventing, combatting or alleviating the effects of the public health emergency do the following (ss. 33(1)):
The Chief Public Health Officer has made an order restricting travel to the Territory and anyone who is returning to the territory, to self-isolate in Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River or Inuvik.
Emergency Management Act, S.N.S. 1990, c. 8
When a state of emergency is declared, the Minister may do the following (s.14):
Health Protection Act, S.N.S. 2004, c. 4
Where the Minister has declared a public health emergency, the Chief Medical Officer may implement special measures to mitigate or remedy the emergency including the following (ss.53(2)):
On March 20, 2020, the Minister of Health, on the recommendation of the Chief Public Health Officer, declared a state of public health emergency pursuant to the Public Health Act.
Emergency Measures Act, S.Nu 2007, c. 10
The statute provides that the Minister may declare an emergency for a period of up to 14 days that is renewable upon the consideration of the following factors: (a) the situation or event requires immediate action to prevent tor reduce serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property; (b) the resources ordinarily available the Government of Nunavut cannot be relied on without the risk of serious delay, cannot be relied on without impairing the ability of the Government to prevent or respond to the emergency, or would be insufficient to effectively address the situation or event (see section 12).
When a state of emergency is declared, the Minister may do any act or take any measure the Minister considers necessary, including any or all of the following (s.13):
Public Health Act, S.Nu. 2016, c.13
During a state of public health emergency, the Chief Public Health Officer may, for the purpose of protecting the public health and preventing, remedying or mitigating the effects of the public health emergency, do the following (s. 41):
Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E. 9
Under this legislation, Ontario declared a state of emergency on March 17 2020. This provides the government with the authority to make orders that are believed “necessary and essential in the circumstances to prevent, reduce or mitigate serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property” provided that it is reasonable to believe that:
There are express limitations on an emergency order, including that they will be in place only for as long as is necessary and will bet the least intrusive possible, consistent with the objectives of the order.
Types of emergency orders authorized by the Act include the following, for examples:
In a state of emergency, the Premier may exercise any power or perform any duty conferred upon a Minister or employee of the Government.
Health Protection and Promotion Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.7
Under Part VI.I of this Act, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has authority to issue mandatory directives to regulated healthcare professionals and health care entities, even before a provincial State of Emergency is declared. Directives that are not complied with can become enforceable court orders, with police assistance for enforcement of the court order. To March 23rd, the Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health has issued three directives to health professionals and healthcare entities, including public hospitals and other facilities to:
A medical officer of health of a local public health unit, may make written orders directed to individuals or a class of individuals, including for example:
There are significant penalties for being in breach of an order or mandatory Directive.
PEI declared a public health emergency on March 16, 2020.
Public Health Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. P-30.1
On March 16 2020, the Premier of P.E.I. declared a state of public health emergency under Part III of the province’s Public Health Act. Accordingly, the Chief Public Health Officer may take the following special measures (s. 49(2)):
Emergency Measures Act, R.S.P.E.I. 1988, c. E-6.1
When a provincial state of emergency is declared, the provincial government may do everything necessary for the health or safety of persons , including the following (s. 11):
Le 13 mars 2020, l’état d’urgence sanitaire a été déclaré sur tout le territoire québécois.
Loi sur la santé publique, L.R.Q., ch. S-2.2
Au cours de l’état d’urgence sanitaire, le gouvernement ou le ministre, s’il a été habilité, peut (art. 123) :
Loi sur la sécurité civile, L.R.Q., ch. S-2.3
Au cours de l’état d’urgence, le gouvernement ou le ministre habilité à agir en vertu de la déclaration d’état d’urgence peut faire ce qui suit (art.93) :
* Note : Il existe également des dispositions relatives à la déclaration de l’état d’urgence par une municipalité.
The Emergency Planning Act, S.S. 1989-90, c. E-8.1
On March 18, 2020, the Government of Saskatchewan declared a provincial state of emergency pursuant to section 17 of the Emergency Planning Act. That act gives the government broad authority to do the following during the state of emergency:
On March 20, 2020, Premier Scott Moe ordered that all persons in Saskatchewan are required to comply with:
Premier Moe also authorized the RCMP and all Saskatchewan police services to take any reasonable action, including the power to arrest, to enforce the March 20, 2020 order and any other order made under the Emergency Planning Act or the Public Health Act, 1994.
Public Health Act, 1994, SS 1994, c P-37.1
Saskatchewan’s Chief Medical Health Officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, has made Public Health Orders under sections 38 and 45(2) of the Public Health Act, for the control of the transmission of COVID-19 in the province.
Under section 38(1) of the Act, a medical health officer, including the CMHO, is permitted to order individuals to take or refrain from taking any action the medical health officer considers necessary to decrease or eliminate a health risk presented by a communicable disease. Section 38(2) of the Act sets out the broad scope of what the medical health officer may order, including:
Under section 45(1) of the Act, the minister has authority to make an order for certain measures to act in the case of a serious public health threat (such as COVID-19), as follows:
On March 18, 2020, Yukon’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Brendan Hanley, declared a public health emergency in light of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Public Health and Safety Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 176
At any time following the declaration of the existence of a public health emergency the chief medical officer of health may do the following:
The act also gives the government the power to designate an area of areas of the Yukon as ‘quarantine districts’, as required. The minister also has the power to order a member of a health profession who is not registered, authorized or licensed to practice their health profession during a health emergency for a limited period of time.
To note, a public health emergency does not automatically constitute an emergency within the meaning of the Civil Emergency Measures Act.
Civil Emergency Measures Act, R.S.Y. 2002, c. 34
When a state of emergency has been declared to exist, the Minister may do all things considered advisable for the purposes of dealing with the emergency and, without restricting the generality of the foregoing, may do acts considered necessary for the following (ss. 9(1)):
If a person fails to follow an order after a state of emergency has been declared, they can be fined up to $500 per offence or imprisoned for six (6) months.