Amish Reports
Ontario is still prosecuting Amish farmers over ArriveCAN
Years after the pandemic ended, Ontario is still chasing Amish farmers over ArriveCAN fines they had virtually no way to avoid.
During the COVID border restrictions, Canadians returning home were required to use the ArriveCAN smartphone app. But the Amish families at the centre of this case don't use smartphones, the Internet or even electricity.
When Amish families crossed back into Canada from the United States, they were nevertheless subjected to the same ArriveCAN rules as everyone else. Some were hit with thousands of dollars in fines — despite having no practical way to use the app in the first place.
Incredibly, several families say they didn't even know they had been convicted until liens appeared against their farms. For a farming family, a lien can make it difficult or impossible to sell, mortgage or transfer the property.
Rebel News travelled to the Amish community to investigate what happened, and we've committed to following their fight through the courts.
Where the case stands now
The Democracy Fund, working with lawyers Mark Joseph and Adam Blake-Gallipeau, has been helping the affected families challenge the fines. As of August, 2026:
32 affected families have been identified.
24 families have had their tickets reopened, with their fines stayed or zeroed out entirely.
8 families were refused and are continuing their legal fight.
One family alone is still facing approximately $13,000 plus interest.
Mark Joseph, executive director of The Democracy Fund, explained how some families first learned what had happened: "They found out when they had liens [appear] on their property."
The remaining cases are being appealed at the Ontario Court of Justice. The argument is straightforward: if families in materially similar circumstances had their cases reopened and their fines eliminated, why should the remaining families be treated differently?
If necessary, the legal fight could continue through higher courts.
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Why we're staying on this story
Covering the Amish is unlike covering almost any other community in Canada. Most members of the community won't appear on camera. They don't use phones or email. Meetings can have to be arranged well in advance and confirmed by mail.
But that is exactly why this story needs journalists willing to do the work.
Rebel News broke this story, and we've made a commitment to keep covering it. When there's an important hearing, we'll do our best to be there. We'll talk to the lawyers, document what happens in court and tell Canadians what is happening to these families.
The Amish generally aren't going to launch social-media campaigns or call television stations to tell their side of the story. So we'll keep doing what independent journalists are supposed to do: show up, ask questions and report what we find.
Help fund our Amish Reports
The legal battle is continuing — and so is our reporting.
Sending a journalist and cameraman to cover hearings means travel, accommodations, production time and other expenses. Unlike the government-funded CBC and other subsidized media outlets, Rebel News relies on our viewers and readers to make this kind of independent reporting possible.
If you think Canadians deserve to know what is happening to these Amish families, please chip in below to help us continue our Amish Reports.
Donate to The Democracy Fund
Prefer to support the families’ legal defence instead? Rebel News funds the journalism — The Democracy Fund is funding the legal fight. It’s a registered Canadian charity and issues tax receipts for eligible donations.
Read the court documents
If you'd like to examine the underlying court filing for yourself, you can read it below or open the court documents here.
COMMENTS
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Robin Naismith commented 2024-10-23 01:23:44 -0400I think what our government was doing to the Amish was Absolutely wrong because I think what everyone would call what our government was doing was nothing but straight up Bullying. You’d think a government like ours would be against this sort of Disgusting action