City gets 470 complaints for residential parties in Brampton in two weeks in spite of physical distancing laws

Yorkregion.com
June 5, 2020
Graeme Frisque

The City of Brampton has seen a big increase in reports of residential social gatherings in the past two weeks violating physical distancing bylaws as many residents continue to ignore the advice of health officials amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor Patrick Brown said the city received 179 more complaints about residential parties or social gathering of more than five people not of the same family between May 26 and June 1 with 19 charges laid.

“Please, understand this is not the time for social gatherings,” Brown said during a press conference June 3.

The city reported 291 resident complaints to 311 the previous week, bringing the total in the past two weeks to 470 complaints about backyard or residential parties and gatherings.

Those charged face a minimum $880 fine for violating physical distancing laws, which have been in place since late March and prohibit public or private gatherings of more than five people.

According to Brown, not all complaints investigated by bylaw officials result in charges or fines, with most receiving a warning for a first offence and others being deemed legal upon further investigation.

For the first time in weeks, the city didn’t report any charges or fines issued for parking lot parties, which have become commonplace in Brampton recently as the weather has improved.

Other bylaw charges laid over the past week include two charge for illegal use of shuttered playground equipment in parks and nine other fines issued for a group playing cricket.

“I have to stress this: We must listen to the advice of public health. I continue to be alarmed that when we look at the positive cases, we have a high number of young people between the ages of 20 and 29 testing positive,” Brown said.

"You may not appreciate the severity of this virus, but you are spreading it in our community (and) putting loved ones -- parents, grandparents -- at risk and this reckless behavior must stop. If the financial penalty of these fines isn’t significant enough, you must recognize you are putting your loved ones’ lives at risk,” he added.