Nottawasaga OPP say they’ve handed out fines totalling to nearly $9,000 after two large gatherings in violation of Ontario’s COVID-19 restrictions were held at a short-term rental in Adjala-Tosorontio, Ont., one day after another this week.
According to Nottawasaga OPP Const. Katy Viccary, there were about 200 people from the Greater Toronto Area at one of the gatherings, which each took place overnight during the early morning hours of Tuesday and Wednesday.
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Under the Reopening Ontario Act, the province’s current gathering limits are restricted to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors. Ontario enforced these restrictions on Sept. 19 to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Before that, the province’s gathering restrictions were limited to 50 people indoors and 100 people outdoors, as of July 17.
During both the gatherings at the short-term rental in Simcoe County, police received noise complaints and arrived to find people in contravention of the current COVID-19 restrictions under Ontario’s Reopening Act.
After Tuesday’s gathering, officers charged two people with provincial offence notices under the Act.
“They evacuated (the property) and issued two notices and stood by for hours while people vacated, and then the next night it happened again,” Viccary told Global News.
After Wednesday’s gathering, police charged eight people under the province’s Reopening Act.
According to OPP, the owner of the short-term rental property wasn’t present during either of the gatherings but has been “cooperative” with police. Vicarry noted the property is no longer up for rent on short-term rental websites.
OPP officers now have the authority to temporarily close any locations in which they have “reasonable grounds” to believe a gathering is in violation of the current coronavirus restrictions.
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In these cases, police say people will be required to leave the property and not allowed to return the same day, unless authorized by an officer. This doesn’t apply if it’s a person’s place of residence.
People who refuse to leave the property may be ticketed or charged, police say.
The set fine for violating COVID-19 gathering restrictions is $880.
