There will be no injunction blocking three Fraser Valley churches from continuing to hold services in violation of ongoing provincial health orders.

Justice Christopher Hinkson, the chief justice of the B.C. Supreme Court, dismissed the province91裸聊视频檚 application for an injunction Wednesday morning.

91裸聊视频淭o be clear, I am not condoning the petitioners91裸聊视频� [churches] conduct in contravention of the orders that they challenge, but find that the injunctive relief sought by the respondents should not be granted,91裸聊视频� Hinkson wrote in his decision.

His ruling was founded largely on the grounds that the province didn91裸聊视频檛 need the courts to intervene with an injunction 91裸聊视频� there are already other powers the government can use to enforce the health orders.

He noted that in Chilliwack, RCMP officers had told the church members they could face 91裸聊视频渦p to six months in jail and massive fines, upwards of $50,000.91裸聊视频�

He also noted that in some recent cases, including an injunction issued by the courts against protesters at the Vancouver Port Authority, police and the B.C. Prosecution Service have declined to enforce the injunction once it was issued.

91裸聊视频淚 am left to wonder what would be achieved by the issuance of an injunction in this case,91裸聊视频� Hinkson wrote.

The court battle was started by the churches, who are being represented by the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms. They petitioned the B.C. courts to allow them to continue meeting for religious worship.

The three churches are Langley91裸聊视频檚 Riverside Calvary Chapel, Immanuel Covenant Reformed Church in Abbotsford, and the Free Reformed Church of Chilliwack.

As the court battle continued, the provincial government applied for the injunction to stop church attendance, at least until the court case is settled.

An injunction could have allowed police to potentially arrest or physically bar people from attending the three churches.

Lawyer Gareth Morley, representing the Attorney General of B.C. and Dr. Bonnie Henry, argued last week that the injunction was necessary to stop gatherings after the three churches had all defied orders that closed churches for in-person indoor services in November.

The churches have , although local police and bylaw officers have not turned up every Sunday.

Paul Jaffe, the lawyer representing the churches, argued that there was no scientific evidence the churches were a risk to spread the coronavirus. He also suggested the banning of religious meetings was 91裸聊视频渧indictive.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淢y clients can be detained on an officer91裸聊视频檚 belief that they are going to pray. It91裸聊视频檚 incredible,91裸聊视频� he said.

Morley had countered that the health orders were based on type of gathering, not on whether or not they were religious gatherings.

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Hinkson is expected to hear the main arguments between the two sides in a court case scheduled to begin on March 1.