In a COVID-19 update on Thursday, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced new legislation that will prevent people from protesting in front of hospitals. 

Hospitals and other facilities that provide health services will now be subject to the same protection that railways, highways and pipelines receive under the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act. This law carries punishments for trespassing, interfering with operations and construction, and causing damage. It includes the flexibility to expand the definition of “essential infrastructure” through regulation, which is expected to be in place this week. 

“Canadians have the right to protest peacefully but using our hospitals as a venue to attack vaccines and our reasonable public health measures only add more stress to our already overburdened frontline workers. These people protesting at hospitals have harassed health care workers who are fighting the COVID-19 crisis on the front lines and they've disrupted Albertans there who are going to hospitals to seek treatment or support loved ones.” 

Protests and demonstrations are not banned, as the Critical Infrastructure Defence Act does not restrict lawful protests or the exercise of constitutionally protected rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. 

The Critical Infrastructure Defence Act covers both publicly and privately-owned infrastructures, such as pipelines, oil and gas production, refinery sites, highways, railways, utilities (electric, gas and water), telecommunication lines, towers and equipment and mines. 

Penalties consist of a minimum fine of $1,000 and up to $10,000 and $25,000 for first and subsequent offences respectively or a term of imprisonment of up to six months, or both for an individual. 

For corporations, a minimum fine of $10,000 could be given and up to $200,000.