Kids’ party, yard sale out as city enforces shutdowns

Ottawa bylaw officers have responded to complaints about birthday bashes and joggers as people drop a dime on potential delinquents in this new era of physical distancing.

With emergency orders from the province to reduce the number of people congregating in public during the novel coronavirus outbreak, bylaw officers are on the front line investigating reports of groups gathering in illegal numbers or businesses flouting rules that compel non-essential businesses to close.

Stricter provincial orders prompted the bylaw branch to assemble a special COVID -19 squad with marching orders to enforce illegal gatherings and illegally operating businesses. The squad is not only responding to complaints, it is also proactively patrolling the city for scofflaws.

In a statement sent through the city’s communications department, bylaw chief Roger Chapman said his team has been receiving complaints about people gathering in parks, accessing fields or using equipment since March 26, which was when the city closed parks.

The number of complaints until Tuesday afternoon was 84.

Last Saturday, the province banned social gatherings and public events of more than five people. In Ottawa, bylaw officers have the authority to enforce the order.

Between Monday and Tuesday, bylaw officers fielded 33 complaints about gatherings of more than five people and businesses operating without an exemption to the provincial order. The city provided that number Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday, Mayor Jim Watson delivered the updated numbers. Bylaw services received 139 calls on Tuesday alone, Watson said.

He said he has heard about large gatherings of people in public and private settings.

In one case, bylaw officers responded to a child’s birthday party in a backyard. There were between 12 and 20 children there, Watson said.

In another case, bylaw officers responded to Lansdowne Park, where more than 20 people were on the play structure and skateboard park.

Then there was a complaint about a yard sale in the Greenboro area.

Bylaw officers have also checked out Britannia Beach, where, according to Watson, over 200 people had gathered at some point in the last few days.

“We just can’t have these types of gatherings,” Watson said in a teleconference call with reporters Wednesday.

“I know we want to continue some sort of normalcy in our lives, we want to spend time with family and friends. I get that, but please limit your gatherings to the members of your immediate family who live in your residence.”

Chapman added other examples of complaints bylaw officers have been responding to: an open fitness centre, joggers who were passing others “too closely” and a gathering at a construction site.

Construction activity, however, is still allowed in Ontario during the emergency order.

“Not all of the complaints were substantiated,” according to Chapman.

The snitch line to report illegal activity under the provincial order is effectively 3-1-1, which is the primary go-to number for any City of Ottawa issue.

Fines under the province’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act go up to $100,000 for individuals.

In Ottawa, city management has said bylaw officers will take a progressive approach to enforcement so that possible offenders are educated about the new order first, rather than immediately writing them up. As of early Wednesday afternoon, bylaw officers hadn’t issued a fine. jwilling@postmedia.com twitter.com/JonathanWilling