Help the Amish!
A small, peaceful Amish community in Ontario was hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID fines because they didn’t comply with the government’s ArriveCAN app during the pandemic. But here’s the problem: these devout people live as if it were the 18th century. They don’t have phones, computers, or electricity! They couldn’t download an app, even if they wanted to. Yet the government imposed hefty fines on them, leaving them in a dire situation.
Thanks to your support, The Democracy Fund has already won relief for two dozen families. But eight families are still being prosecuted — and the fight is heading to appeal.
The Predicament
These fines aren’t just numbers on paper — they’ve severely impacted the lives of these Amish families. Roughly 40 farms were fined, some in the tens of thousands of dollars, and most families were never told about a court date, a conviction, or even the penalty itself. Unable to pay these outrageous fines, the government placed liens on their properties. This means they can’t sell or transfer their farms from father to son, nor can they obtain loans to keep their farms running. The very essence of their way of life, built on self-sufficiency and community, is under threat. And all of this was done without their knowledge, in a manner that feels punitive and cruel.
The Latest: Ontario Is Still Prosecuting Them
Mark Joseph, executive director of The Democracy Fund, is leading the legal fight alongside Adam Blake-Gallipeau. He explained how these families found out they had been convicted at all: “They found out when they had liens [appear] on their property.”
The Democracy Fund has so far identified 32 affected families:
- 24 families have had their tickets reopened, with their fines stayed or zeroed out entirely. That is a direct result of donations like yours.
- 8 families were refused — for reasons the Crown has never clearly explained.
“There weren’t a lot of substantive reasons in the denials,” Joseph said of those eight cases. He argues a parity principle should apply: cases that are alike ought to be treated alike. Those arguments now go before the Ontario Court of Justice on appeal.
One family alone is still on the hook for $13,000 plus interest. That is a devastating sum for a community that survives on subsistence farming and the cash sale of homemade jams, pickles and quilts.
Even running the case is a challenge. There are no phones, no email and no Internet. Meetings must be arranged well in advance and confirmed by mail. As Joseph put it: “They have to attend here by horse and carriage.”
If the appeal fails at the Ontario Court of Justice, the case can proceed to the Superior Court, then the Court of Appeal, and potentially all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. The Democracy Fund intends to see it through: “We’re going to appeal it as much as we can.” But every stage of that fight costs money.
Why This Matters
The Amish are not fighters — they are pacifists who believe in turning the other cheek. They’ve quietly accepted this mistreatment for years, but now they need our help. They’ve been unjustly targeted by a government that doesn’t understand or respect their way of life. These are people who don’t ask for help, who live humbly and peacefully. But their livelihoods and religious freedoms are now at stake, and they need us to stand with them.
What You Can Do
1. Sign the Petition
Let’s show the Ontario government that we won’t stand by while they bully these peaceful people. Sign our petition right here on this page to stop the madness and demand that the remaining fines and liens be removed.
2. Donate to Their Legal Defence
The Democracy Fund has taken on their case, but they need your support — especially now, with eight families heading to appeal and the possibility of years more litigation ahead. Please chip in a donation right here on this page to contribute to their legal fund. Your donation will go directly to providing legal representation to fight these unjust fines. (The Democracy Fund is a registered Canadian charity, so you’ll receive a tax receipt for your contribution!)
3. Spread the Word
Share this story with your friends and family. Not one “mainstream” outlet has covered it. The more people who know about this injustice, the more pressure we can put on the government to do the right thing.
The Amish community in Chatsworth didn’t choose to be in this situation. They didn’t knowingly break any laws; they simply lived according to their beliefs. Now they’re being punished for not using a smartphone app they can’t even access. This isn’t just about money — this is about protecting a way of life and standing up for religious freedom.
Please sign the petition, donate, and help us fight back against this injustice. Twenty-four families are already free of these fines. Let’s finish the job for the last eight.
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