St. Catharines to start ticketing COVID-19 rule breakers
City ‘escalating response’ after Sunset Beach gathering
St. Catharines says it will start issuing tickets to people who aren’t obeying social distancing orders in the wake of a large gathering on Sunset Beach this week.
The city has tried to enforce provincial orders since the province’s state of emergency began in March through public education and voluntary compliance.
“To date, we’ve been very successful in gaining compliance and using it as an opportunity to educate and that’s been helpful,” said Tami Kitay, director of planning and building services, which oversees bylaw enforcement. “I think what we saw (Tuesday) night was an unfortunate defiance of the provincial order and something like that will require an escalated response.”
City officials were reviewing their tactics after the fire department reported seeing an estimated 350 to 400 people on the beach Tuesday night with little social distancing happening. Firefighters had been called to the beach just before 8:30 p.m., where they extinguished two bonfires with an estimated 20 people gathered around each.
Beaches remain closed in St. Catharines due to the COVID-19 pandemic but are open for “walk throughs.” Provincial orders ban gatherings of more than five people.
Kitay said bylaw enforcement staff have been working longer shifts through the week as well as on weekends and will now be escalating their monitoring of beach and park areas where they’ve been getting complaints to be more proactive rather than reactive. She said anybody in a grouping of more
than five people can look forward to a fine of $750. Those who obstruct an officer in their attempt to enforce the provincial order could be looking at an additional $1,000 fine.
“To date, I’d say we’ve been successful with an educationfirst approach, but now we’re going to need to escalate, unfortunately, our enforcement to make the point that needs to be made,” Kitay said.
“This is a matter or personal and public safety.”
Since March 30, the city has received 325 complaints about large gatherings of more than five people. Twenty-three of those complaints have been since Sunday.
Kitay said many of the calls have been about birthday parades, kids playing basketball or similar type events. Bylaw officers have investigated all complaints. They’ve let people know what’s required under the emergency management and civil protection act and groups have voluntarily dispersed.
For residents living near Sunset Beach, there are parking and garbage issues related to the gatherings that go beyond COVID-19 health concerns.
“Their biggest frustration is because the beach is closed, the chaos around the streets seems to be more exaggerated,” said David DeRocco, president of the Port Weller Residents Association. “The cars are on the roads, not in the beach parking lot.”
Numerous vehicles parked on narrow streets in no-parking areas caused issues for the fire department Tuesday, which said it had a difficult time trying to navigate through the vehicles to get to the bonfire call. Karena.Walter@niagaradailies.com 905-225-1628 | @karena_standard