Fines coming for COVID-19 infractions, mayor warns
It seems some people just aren't getting the message about physical distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson cautioned Wednesday bylaw officers will soon be issuing fines along with the warnings.
Earlier this week, Watson announced police and bylaw officers would begin cracking down on what he called "idiotic" behaviour by people unaware or unconcerned about a provincewide ban on gatherings of more than five people.
Last week, the city announced the closure of municipal parks an playgrounds as part of the ongoing effort to keep people at home.
We've got to get people to think that this is not just sort of a suggestion that you not go out and gather in groups of more than five, it's actually now the law. - Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson
During a teleconference with reporters Wednesday, Watson said on Tuesday alone, bylaw officers had responded to 139 calls about people disobeying the restrictions.
"Bylaw and regulatory services had to respond to a child's birthday party held in the backyard which had between 12 and 20 children present. Bylaw officers had to visit Lansdowne Park [for] a complaint that more than 20 people were playing on the place structures and in the skateboard park," Watson said.
"They were also required to intervene at Britannia Beach where over 200 people had gathered in the last few days, and bylaw also received complaints about a yard sale in Greenboro."
No fines yet
Individuals caught flouting the provincial ban on gatherings can be fined $750 or up to $100,000, while the director of a business can face a fine of up to $500,000 and corporations could pay as much as $10 million.
So far there have been no fines issued in Ottawa, Watson said.
"I suspect that will change in the next couple of days if we continue to see the kind of bad behaviour of people gathering," he warned.
"We've got to get people to think that this is not just sort of a suggestion that you not go out and gather in groups of more than five, it's actually now the law. And I suspect that the bylaw officers, if they continue to see patterns in a particular area, they will start to hand out the tickets."
In an effort to help housebound residents get some exercise and fresh air, Watson said the city is ramping up efforts to clean up multi-use pathways. The NCC has said it's doing the same, although it has closed Gatineau Park as well as vehicular access to several parks within the Greenbelt.
