Alberta man fined for breaking Yukon COVID-19 rules

An Alberta man who stayed at the Wolf Creek campground near Whitehorse instead of transiting through the territory like he'd told border officers has been fined more than $1,000 for breaking Yukon COVID-19 rules.

Gerard Redinger pleaded guilty, over the phone, to two charges under the Civil Emergency Measures Act (CEMA) in territorial court Tuesday afternoon — one count of remaining in Yukon for more than 24 hours, and one count of failing to self-isolate.

According to the facts of the case read to the court by territorial Crown Kelly McGill, Redinger entered Yukon by road on Aug. 29, 2020, telling CEMA officers at the Watson Lake check-stop that he was transiting through and was going to re-enter B.C. via Junction 37.

People travelling through the territory have 24 hours to complete their transits and are asked to self-isolate as much as possible on their journey.

However, CEMA officers received an anonymous complaint on Sept. 11, 2020, about a vehicle that had been abandoned on the side of the road near Teslin. A note in the vehicle had Redinger's name and phone number on it; officers followed up and found out that he had been staying at the Wolf Creek campground, and had remained in Yukon since entering in August.

'Quite deliberate'

McGill described Redinger's choices as "quite deliberate," saying that he knew the rules around entering and transiting through Yukon but chose to not abide by them. If Redinger decided to change his plans as he was driving, McGill continued, he could have notified CEMA officers and then completed a mandatory self-isolation period but instead "flagrantly proceed to do what he wanted to do."

She also noted that public campgrounds had clear signage at their entrances prohibiting anyone except Yukon residents from staying at them, and that self-isolation rules explicitly forbid staying at campgrounds.

McGill asked for the maximum fine allowable under CEMA — $500, plus a $75 victim surcharge, per count.

Redinger did not object.

Justice of the Peace Sharman Morrison granted the Crown's request, fining Redinger a total of $1,150.

He has six months to pay.