Aylmer Church of God fined and will be padlocked

St. Thomas Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas, in an online hearing on Friday morning, May 14, ordered substantial fines for Aylmer Church of God (Restoration), Pastor Henry Hildebrandt and Assistant Pastor Peter Wall.

Justice Thomas also ordered the church padlocked until churches were allowed to hold in-person services at no less than 30 percent of capacity, or all provincial COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted.

The Church of God was fined $35,000 for being found in contempt of a court order issued Feb. 11 requiring the church to obey provincial COVID-19 emergency orders and stop holding large indoor services when they were banned.

Pastor Henry Hildebrandt, also found in contempt, was fined $10,000 and Assistant Pastor Peter Wall $3,000.

In addition, Justice Thomas ordered the church and the two men to pay $69,000 in court costs.

Justice Thomas said the church could apply to have the doors opened again once the limit for church gatherings reached 30% of indoor capacity, or the limits were rescinded by the province.

He said Henry Hildebrandt had become the “leading force and unapologetic spokesperson” for opposition to pandemic restrictions.

More details in the May 19 edition of The Aylmer Express.