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
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
Dozens of U.S. deaths reveal risks of injecting sedatives into people restrained by police
The practice of giving sedatives to people detained by police has spread quietly across the U.S. over the last 15 years, built on questionable science and backed by police-aligned experts, an investigation led by The Associated Press has found.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.