The Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Summary:
Ontario imposed strict limits on worship attendance during COVID-19. Trinity Bible Chapel defied these limits and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines and legal costs and were locked out of their own building. The church sought an appeal on the basis that the limits violated their fundamental freedoms of conscience, religion, expression, peaceful assembly, and association. Although lower court sided with Ontario, the church appealed, arguing that the lower court improperly assessed the expert evidence. The church also suggested the lower court misapplied the legal test under section 1 of the Charter. ARPA intervened, arguing that the Charter requires respect for institutional pluralism and demonstrable justification for government interference. The Court of Appeal upheld the lower court decision in the government’s favour.
ARPA Canada’s submissions to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.
ARPA Canada’s submissions to the Ontario Court of Appeal.
