All Charges Withdrawn Against Pastor Who Spent 18 Days in Jail for Opening Church During COVID

Staff Writer

Days ago, Alberta’s Crown prosecutors withdrew all remaining charges against Pastor Tim Stephens, the Fairview Baptist Church pastor imprisoned for refusing to shut down his church service or abide by public health orders demanding his gatherings be limited on account of COVID-19.

According to a press release by the JCCF, who represented Stephens:

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms is pleased to announce that all charges for violating Public Health Orders against Fairview Baptist Church have been withdrawn by Crown prosecutors.  

In early 2021, charges were laid against Pastor Timothy Stephens and Fairview Baptist Church for violating Public Health Orders, which included mandates regarding gathering limitations, masking, and social distancing…

Pastor Stephens spent 18 days in jail but was released when provincial gathering restrictions were removed on July 1, 2021. Soon thereafter, four of the six charges laid against him were dropped by the Crown. 

On September 15, 2022, Pastor Stephens went to trial on two remaining charges of violating public health orders. On November 1, 2022, Judge Allan Fradsham determined that Pastor Stephens had not been guilty of the two remaining charges. 

On August 29, 2023, the Crown withdrew all charges against Fairview Baptist Church. 

Rebel News, who has been doing on-the-ground reporting on this since day one, explains “The withdrawal of charges follows the Ingram v. Alberta decision, wherein it was discovered that public health orders issued in the province of Alberta were invalid because they were instituted by the Alberta cabinet, not a chief medical officer of health, as is required by the Public Health Act.”

It was this decision that also saw all charges dropped against Pastor James Coates of Grace Life Church, who likewise spent a month in jail under similar circumstances.