Owner of J Rocks Bar and Grill, Jayson Borthwick, left, and anti-lockdown advocate Chris Sky during a rally outside the restaurant on Saturday. Sky was arrested Tuesday in Thunder Bay, Ont. for not complying with that province's public health restrictions. AHS is recommending those in attendance Saturday be tested for COVID-19 after an individual tested positive for the virus.SCREENSHOT COURTESY JAYSON BORTHWICK FACEBOOK
The owner of a restaurant that continues to defy public health orders is involved with another company which saw the City of Medicine Hat issue a public safety warning against, the Medicine Hat News has learned.
In its safety warning to residents on Dec. 8, 2020 about Water World Tubs, the city issued a press release advising that anyone who received hot tubs, spas or swimming pools from the company, “should immediately discontinue use,” and contact municipal safety codes services.
The city provided inspections at no cost but if safety issues were identified, “repairs will be required and must be completed by an appropriately licensed contractor at the property owners’ expense.”
J Rocks Bar and Grill owner, Jayson Borthwick, is listed as the sole director for Water World Tubs, according to publicly available corporate registration information.
In February 2020, Water World Tubs was struck as a legal entity due to failure to file annual corporate returns for the years it was in operation after being incorporated in 2017, according to those documents.
Borthwick’s current business venture, J Rocks, opened at the end of February 2021 and has become a flashpoint for individuals against public health restrictions associated with the COVID pandemic.
J Rocks continues to advertise in-person dining and live music despite a closure order issued by Alberta Health Services for not following public health restrictions.
Attempts to contact Borthwick – including during an interview time he scheduled on Sunday – have been unsuccessful.
Contacted Wednesday, a staff member at J Rocks said Borthwick would “never” speak to the News as, “you keep slandering us.”
Tensions between the restaurant and authorities appear to be continuing.
That includes those attending an anti-lockdown rally hosted by J Rocks on Saturday being asked Monday by AHS to be tested for COVID as a precautionary measure due to a positive case being in attendance.
A post on J Rocks’ Facebook page states, “I think it’s quite funny how someone on Saturday was here to protest against false tests and masks to all of a sudden get sick, run get tested, and then say they got it at a anti mask/vaccine rally and all this happened just in time for Monday’s news !!!! Lol. Wow!!”
In a statement to the News, AHS says it continues to try to work with J Rocks to have the establishment comply with public health measures.
The statement added, “further enforcement actions, including suspension of the operator’s food handling permit, will be pursued if the order is not complied with.”
AHS states that while it works closely with law enforcement who can issue fines and seek prosecution regarding public health compliance, “those steps are independent of AHS’ efforts to obtain compliance.”
As of Wednesday afternoon, J Rocks continues to operate.
Share this story:
17 -16
3 Comments
Oldest
NewestMost Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Jo
3 years ago
OMG!!! Do your jobs Mayor Clugston and MHPS and shut this man and his business down! This man and those that support him, are making a mockery of Medicine Hat and it is not right that he is allowed to continue. If the rest of Medicine Hat residents chose to blatantly ignore the laws that they simply do not agree with and did not want to follow, our city would be in utter chaos. How can the mayor and the police department continue to allow this business to operate and still expect compliance from the rest of Hatters to obey other laws?
Enough is Enough!!
I agree that steps need to be taken to have the business license pulled, however it is not the Mayor or MHPS to do so. The License Inspector is the one authorized by Council to suspend or cancel a license and the Medical Officer of Health also has the ability to request the license suspended or cancelled.
OMG!!! Do your jobs Mayor Clugston and MHPS and shut this man and his business down! This man and those that support him, are making a mockery of Medicine Hat and it is not right that he is allowed to continue. If the rest of Medicine Hat residents chose to blatantly ignore the laws that they simply do not agree with and did not want to follow, our city would be in utter chaos. How can the mayor and the police department continue to allow this business to operate and still expect compliance from the rest of Hatters to obey other laws?
Enough is Enough!!
I agree that steps need to be taken to have the business license pulled, however it is not the Mayor or MHPS to do so. The License Inspector is the one authorized by Council to suspend or cancel a license and the Medical Officer of Health also has the ability to request the license suspended or cancelled.