Ontario clamping down on illegal social event organizers

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, alarmed by increasing numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases across Ontario, said that as of Friday, Sept. 18, anyone organizing a social event that exceeded local limits on such gathering would be charged and potentially subject to a $10,000 fine.

That’s on top of a $750 fine that could be levied against all event participants at events such as birthday parties and backyard barbecues.

In addition, he imposed new, stricter limits on outdoor and indoor social gatherings in Toronto, Ottawa and Peel Region.

As of Friday, indoor events will be allowed to involve no more than 10 participants, and outdoor ones no more than 25.  For the rest of Ontario, the indoor limit stays at 50 and outdoor at 100.

“At all times people must continue to observe physical distancing,” he said.

The new limits did not extend to commercial staffed premises, such as movie theatres, he added.