Salon, body rub parlour face fines for violating COVID-19 restrictions

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This article was published 11/05/2020 (1968 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A body rub parlour and a beauty salon in Winnipeg were shut down last week and received hefty fines for violating public health measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Both Beauty Infinity, a Cordyon Avenue salon, and Executive Bath, a body rub parlour on Ellice Avenue, are listed on the provincial health department’s most recent establishment closure report.

On May 4, the province’s public health office initiated the first phase of its efforts to reopen businesses, including patios, museums, retailers, dental offices, salons and therapeutic massage providers. However, those businesses that choose to reopen are required to follow strict guidelines or risk closure, financial penalty, or even imprisonment.

For Beauty Infinity, penalties were handed out that day. While the provincial report doesn’t specify how the business violated the public health order, it was dinged for a failure to comply, and issued a fine of $2,542 along with a closure order. The business’s website, listed on its Facebook page, has been taken down.

Executive Bath’s penalty came on May 8, though the nature of its violation isn’t specified in the report either. For its failure to comply with the public health order, a $2,542 fine was issued as well.

The pair are the latest local businesses to be hit with fines or closures related to improper COVID-19 procedures, but they aren’t the first.

In April, a pair of body art businesses in Brandon were shut down for staying open despite an order for non-essential businesses to close. Those businesses were also hit for not obtaining public health approval to operate a body art business in the city.

Ruby Nail Bar, a salon on Regent Avenue West, was shut down and fined $486 on April 20 for violating public health orders related to COVID-19. Two days later, California Nails, a salon on McPhillips Street, received the same penalty.

JT’s Club, a restaurant-club on Keewatin, was given a $2,542 fine and a closure notice on April 24. Thi Bui, listed as a personal services business, was given a $486 fine.

The establishment closure report has a section for business’ reopening dates, but none of the above businesses has one specified.

Though the province has begun to ease restrictions on businesses, gatherings in Manitoba are still limited to no more than 10 people. Individuals could face fines for non-compliance as well.

Under the province’s enforcement regulations, individuals and corporations also face fines of up to $50,000 or $500,000 respectively, and could spend six months or up to a year in prison for violating the public health orders.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca

Health Protection Report Establishment Closures