Fourteen people in Brampton have been charged after allegedly gathering for a house party while a provincewide stay-at-home order is in effect.
On Monday, city officials were alerted about excessive noise and a social gathering happening at a residence on Echoridge Drive, near Sandalwood Parkway West and McLaughlin Road.
When bylaw officials attended the home they witnessed individuals participating in “an illegal social gathering” inside the residence, according to city officials.
“An investigation was conducted and the individuals were found to be in violation of the Reopening Ontario Act,” a city spokesperson said in a statement to CP24.
Fourteen people, including the tenants of the home, were charged $880 each by the city.
“...There's no excuse right now for having social events indoors, that is why we have significant fines for people that are breaching that provincial emergency regulation,” Mayor Patrick Brown said during a COVID-19 press conference Wednesday morning.
The Reopening Ontario Act prohibits residents from more than one household to gather indoors, and under the stay-at-home order, residents are only supposed to gather outdoors with members of their own household. If someone lives alone they can join one other household.
On Apr. 8, Premier Doug Ford implemented a month-long provincewide stay-at-home order in order to curb surging coronavirus infections and hospitalizations.
Less than two weeks later, Ford extended the order for another two weeks until at least May 20.
Under the order, people are required to stay home unless they need to leave for essential reasons, including going to work, medical appointments, buying groceries and exercising.
However, Brampton’s director of bylaw enforcement said indoor gatherings are being reported across the city.
“...The house party we did attend was in fact as I say a house party and there are people that are still having these events throughout the city and they’re not prevalent, but they're certainly in different areas. And it's not one area of the city, it's spread across in the total city of Brampton,” Paul Morrison told reporters.
Between Apr. 19 and Apr. 25, the city said 50 charges were laid against residents in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, including one charge under the mandatory face covering bylaw and 49 chargers under the Reopening Ontario Act.
Officials are reminding residents to respect bylaw officers after one was assaulted earlier this week when a resident who was receiving a ticket threw a hot cup of coffee at the officer.
“...The person who was giving a citation to or a violation to just simply took offense to it and threw a hot cup of coffee at him. Luckily he wasn't hurt, and we didn't tolerate it, we contacted Peel police right away and Peel police did subsequently investigate and support charges,” Morrison said.
