Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Thursday that effective Friday, Sept. 18, outdoor private gatherings in Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa will be restricted to a limit of 25 people and indoor private gatherings limited to 10. Ford said this includes social events and gatherings like parties, backyard barbecues or events held in parks. It does not, however, include organized events held at staffed businesses or facilities like convention centres or movie theatres.

Ford also announced that organizers found to be breaking these rules surrounding events in Ontario would face a minimum fine of $10,000, with attendees of the events to face the $750 fine already in place.

Asked about why the limits on school classroom sizes will remain the same despite the new private indoor gatherings limits, Ford said comparing a school with cohorts and teacher supervision to a “wild party” is “apples and oranges.” Health Minister Christine Elliott and chief medical officer of health Dr. David Williams reiterated Ford’s comments, saying the two situations are “entirely different” because parties are often not monitored regarding COVID-19 regulations, unlike in schools.

Ford added that while the province would not tell police how to enforce COVID-19 measures, he stressed law enforcement would ensure the rules are followed and people will be fined a minimum of $10,000 if they break the rules. He added that if a person breaks the rules after already receiving a fine for organizing, the organizer would again face another $10,000 fine.

The premier also announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government would be introducing on Thursday a bill to freeze residential rent in 2021, which means the majority of people will not see their rent increase between Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of next year. He said it will also extend the ban on commercial evictions past Sept. 1, 2020 as far as Oct. 30, 2020.

Health officials reported 293 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, with three new deaths, increasing the total confirmed cases to 45,676 and 2,825 total deaths. Toronto, Peel Region and Ottawa accounted for 64 per cent of newly confirmed cases.

For more info, please go to https://globalnews.ca/news/7340816/ontario-private-gathering-restrictions-limits-toronto-peel-region-ottawa/

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