Alberta appeals court quashes COVID-19 health violations case against Edmonton church

Convictions against an Edmonton church fined more than $80,000 for refusing COVID-19 inspections by a public health officer during services have been quashed by an Alberta court.
A trio of justices for the Alberta Court of Appeal in a consent judgement filed Monday aquitted appellants Tracy Fortin and Edmonton's Church in the Vine on three counts of obstructing an inspector in 2021, contrary to the Public Health Act.
Fortin and the west-end church had been found guilty in May 2022 and appealed the decisions.
The acquittal comes in the wake of revocations in other Alberta COVID-19 related cases, including those against pastor James Coates and GraceLife Church, and WhistleStop Cafe owner Christopher Scott.
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