Organizer fined after Peel police shut down massive Brampton house party

The organizer of a large house party in Brampton is facing fines of up to $100,000 after Peel police and bylaw officers were forced to break up the gathering Saturday night that was in clear violation of public health protocols.

Police said they were called at around 10 p.m. after Brampton bylaw officers received a noise complaint about a home in the Countryside Drive and Goreway Drive area.

When officers arrived, around 200 people were found partying at the home, police said.

Video circulating on social media showed dozens of vehicles parked on the streets and on boulevard areas.

Police said it took about an hour to clear the crowds.

While no criminal charges were laid, a spokesperson for the City of Brampton says the organizer was issued a fine of $880. They will also be charged under the public nuisance bylaw which carries with it a fine ranging from $500 up to a maximum of $100,000.

Const. Kyle Villers called the incident “disheartening.”

“It shows the complete disregard for the health and well being of everybody in Brampton,” he said. “To have a party with this many people giving the state of the world with COVID-19 is a ripe opportunity for another outbreak.”

Villers said it only takes one person to show symptoms to have hundreds of cases come out, which affects the greater community.

Under Ontario’s COVID-19 Stage 2 emergency rules, gatherings in the Peel region are limited to 10 people, with physical distancing required between members of different households.

Large gatherings have been cited by public health officials as a reason for the recent spike in numbers across the region.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report