Toronto police are reminding the public that it is illegal to fly unauthorized drones at the FIFA Fan Festival at Fort York and The Bentway and Etobicoke’s Centennial Park, which is the official World Cup training facility for teams competing in Toronto.
“No drones. No exceptions,” they wrote in a post on X on Sunday morning.
“Keep the skies clear.”
Police say detection technology is in place and penalties could apply to those who are caught flying drones, which are also known as uncrewed aircraft (UAV) or vehicles, in restricted areas.
Some of the other no-fly zones in Toronto include Toronto Stadium and Exhibition Place, along with training sites at Downsview Park and at Nottawasaga Resort & Conference Centre in New Tecumseth, Ont.
Several people facing charges
On Saturday, two people were charged under Canadian Aviation Regulations for flying drones over and around FIFA sites downtown, with one of them being charged with reckless operation of a remote-controlled device.
Several others are facing charges after drones flown over FIFA siters in the city were previously intercepted.
People should not that these drone restrictions, which are also been enforced by federal regulators, are in effect even on days when no match is being played.
They have been put in place to manage crowded airspace and protect event security, but the restrictions could also serve another purpose: preventing teams from spying on one another.
With files from CTV National’s Heather Wright
