Officers with the Bracebridge OPP have charged eight people from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) for gathering illegally at a cottage in Gravenhurst.
A member of the public complained about the gathering on May 1st, with officers arriving at 10:30 PM. When they arrived, they found eight individuals from the GTA and charged all of them for a contravention under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMPCA).
They were each handed an $880 fine, including surcharges.
Under the current stay-at-home order restrictions under the EMPCA, public gatherings are banned.
Constable Samantha Bigley says the local detachment prefers to take an educational approach in these situations. “That wasn’t going to happen in this case,” she says. “They were given an opportunity to be educated, but they weren’t really respecting the spirit behind the restrictions.”
“Everyone has a responsibility to do their part and follow the current restrictions,” Bigley says.