The Toronto Police Service’s (TPS) dedicated COVID-19 enforcement teams laid hundreds of charges this week after a “concerningly high” number of parties.
Police said that between April 30 and May 6, officers from the 16 teams responded to 296 calls regarding people breaking the Stay-at-Home order.
As a result, officers issued 338 tickets under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) and the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA), and 16 criminal charges.
“The number of gatherings, parties, and events being held across Toronto remains concerningly high,” said Staff Superintendent Randy Carter.
“Police are being called to attend these scenes on a daily basis. We want to thank the public for their cooperation in reporting these events. You are helping to keep our city safe.”
- See also:
In one incident of note from the past week, officers responded to reports of a noisy party near Bloor Street West and Dundas Street.
Upon arrival, police discovered 14 people at a house party. Officers broke up the gathering, and issued each attendee a ticket under the EMCPA.
Under Ontario’s Stay-at-Home order, indoor and outdoor gatherings can only be held with members of the same household.
As of May 7, Toronto has seen 154,799 COVID-19 cases and 3,163 virus-related deaths.