170 charges and tickets, 19 arrests in Waterloo for St. Patrick's Day
Waterloo regional police say they handed out 147 charges and arrested 19 people at the large unsanctioned street party in Waterloo on St. Patrick’s Day.
Updated numbers from police released on Monday said there were 328 calls for service between 8 a.m. Thursday and 6 a.m. Friday.
More than 4,000 people came out for the first big party in Waterloo’s University District since 2019. There were no large parties in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
Ezra Avenue, the site of former St. Patrick’s Day gatherings, was blocked off with fencing. So, partiers instead gathered on Marshall Street.
Police call the fences a “pro-active investment” that sent a strong message of discouraging unsanctioned events.
In an interview with CTV News, Chief Bryan Larkin called the police response to St. Patrick's Day "overall, a remarkable operational success.”
Here is a breakdown of the charges:
- Liquor Licence and Control Act: 90
- Highway Traffic Act: 29
- Trespass to Property Act: 3
- Criminal Code: 19
- Bylaws: 2
- Controlled Drugs and Substances Act: 2
- Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act: 1
- Environmental Act: 1
Between 6 a.m. Friday and 6 a.m. Sunday, police said they had 224 calls for service, resulting in 46 charges and three arrests.
The City of Waterloo issued a further 23 charges and tickets:
- Nuisance noise (summons): 5
- Nuisance gatherings (summons): 9
- Noise bylaw: 6
- Nuisance (bodily emissions): 2
- Business licensing: 1 (summons)
The city said Wilfrid Laurier University special constables issued 69 provincial offence notices; 43 were given to non-students and 26 to Laurier students.
Regional paramedics responded to 37 calls from noon until 2 a.m on St. Patrick’s Day. Eighteen people were transported to hospital, seven considered serious.
“All of the calls that we did … were all alcohol, all too much to drink,” said Deputy Chief Rob Crossan with Paramedic Services.
He said unsanctioned gatherings put a strain on resources, as ambulances are unable to drive on roads that are taken over by pedestrians.
“That takes a team of four to six police officers, four paramedics to go in from our Crowd Response Team on foot to go in and retrieve this person and carry them out of the crowd to where we can get a vehicle in close.”
“Large gatherings pose both a health and safety risk to those in attendance and to the entire community,” Chief Bryan Larkin said in a news release. “We are disappointed that, despite encouraging individuals to celebrate responsibly in smaller gatherings or licenced establishments, many opted to gather on the street, forcing road closures. As we move forward, we will continue to work together with our community partners to find alternatives to this unlawful gathering.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.