Alberta Health Services confirmed to a news outlet that the fences surrounding GraceLife Church of Edmonton, the church accused of violating COVID-19 regulations, will be taken down next week.
According to CityNews, the property, which has been fenced off since April 7, will be returned to the church on July 1.
Closures and work orders based on orders from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, which are set to be overturned, will be revoked as a result, according to the AHS.
CMOH restrictions will be rescinded as of July 1, according to AHS, which said in a statement that all executive orders issued in connection with the restrictions would be nullified because they were based on CMOH orders that would be nullified as of July 1.
As for GraceLife Church, the property will be returned to them and the fence will be demolished, according to the statement.
When the fences were first put up in April, the health agency stated that it would only remove them if the church demonstrated that it could comply with public health measures designed to keep the virus from spreading.
In the same month, protesters also tried to rip the fence built by local authorities to keep GraceLife Church members from gathering for worship, forcing the government to dispatch 200 armored police officers in response. When the incident occurred, no one from the congregation was present.
After their property was forcefully barricaded, the GraceLife church in Edmonton was forced to temporarily abandon their place of worship. However, they have maintained their regular worship schedule.
Church members have continued to post videos of Pastor James Coates preaching in unidentified locations on their social media pages every week.
Following nearly a month in prison, Pastor James Coates was released on March 22.
He was also fined $1,500, but Provincial Court Judge Jeffrey Champion has ruled that the fine should be waived because of the 35 days he spent in jail.
It's worth noting that while Pastor Coates was thrown in jail for violating COVID restrictions meant to contain the virus, the authorities imposing those same restrictions were not required by the Court to present scientific evidence backing the restrictions, proving whether they actually work or not at all.
Justice Centre President John Carpay, speaking of the matter at the time, said "unfortunately the courts have permitted the government to delay facing accountability in regard to Charter violations."
While in prison, however, Pastor Coates chose to pursue Christ and revealed that his imprisonment presented him with numerous opportunities to share the Gospel with the inmates. An inmate in the cell next door had expressed an interest in participating in a Bible study. The pastor granted his request, and while they were already in the midst of the meeting, some attendees arrived.
Also during his release, Pastor Coates remembered a special moment when he was about to leave the building.
"Just to kind of show the affection that we had for each other, in the moment I was leaving, I turned around ... and I lifted up my hand to wave, and the doors of the pod began to shake as the men in their cells just banged on their doors as a sign of support, love, [and] affection," he shared.
GraceLife Church also was charged with violating the province's pandemic regulation on Feb. 21 and 28, when it exceeded the imposed 15% capacity limit.
In their statement in February, the church said that they have been livestreaming their services and have complied with all applicable laws and regulations during the first few months of the government's new guidelines.
"We did so recognizing COVID-19 was much less severe than the government had initially projected," the statement read. "By the time the so-called 'pandemic' is over, if it is ever permitted to be over, Albertans will be utterly reliant on government, instead of free, prosperous, and independent."
