Canada court rules church cannot hold drive-in services during COVID-19 lockdown

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A judge in Manitoba, Canada has told a church it is not allowed to hold even drive-in services during local COVID-19 lockdown orders, the Daily Wire reports. The current restrictions prohibit houses of worship from holding in-person services.

The Springs Church in Winnipeg had brought the case before the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench: the church requested a stay of the province’s current public health order that would permit drive-in services in its parking lot.

Under the current order, which is due to expire on December 11, houses of worship are forbidden to be open to the public. The order also bans visitors in private homes and prohibits stores from selling non-essential items, the Daily Wire reports.

Refusing the church’s request, Chief Justice Glenn Joyal ruled: “The congregation attending in cars are persons. They are persons who have attended for a common purpose. These orders necessarily restrict rights … in order to prevent death, illness and the overwhelming of the public health system in Manitoba,” Joyal continued. “I do not believe that the applicants meet their burden of showing that [the church] will suffer irreparable harm if the injunction is not granted,” he concluded.

The church and two of its pastors have been fined over $32,000 for defying the public health order by holding drive-in services, the Daily Wire said.

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