Waterloo regional police say they’re 'pleased' following homecoming weekend
The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) says they are pleased the majority of people who celebrated homecoming over the weekend did so safely and responsibly.
While WRPS has not yet released numbers for homecoming in Waterloo this year, police said in an email to CTV News on Monday they had 'a significant operational plan with committed resources and increased visibility in the university district.'
Last year regional police made 11 arrests, laid 183 charges and had 298 calls for service in a 22-hour window during homecoming weekend.
This year a portion of Ezra Avenue was blocked off with fencing as a precaution, where large crowds of students gathered in previous years for unsanctioned parties.
Waterloo Mayor Dorothy McCabe released an open letter to the community ahead of homecoming celebrations asking people to celebrate responsibly.
“Large street gatherings can be dangerous and put everyone at risk," she said in the letter.
A group of students chat with a police officer during homecoming weekend 2023 in Waterloo. (Hannah Schmidt/CTV News)
McCabe also noted local emergency rooms and hospitals are already at capacity and asked people to not add stress.
That reminder comes after city councillors in Waterloo voted to tighten rules around unsanctioned street parties earlier this month.
Meanwhile in Guelph, police reported large crowds but "no major incidents" during homecoming celebrations in that city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW
NEW With the U.S. election approaching, could American voters in Canada make a difference?
With the U.S. election widely predicted to be a close race, some believe American voters in Canada and overseas will be crucial in helping elect the new president about a month from now.
DEVELOPING
DEVELOPING Rare Israeli strike in central Beirut kills 7 as troops battle Hezbollah in southern Lebanon
An Israeli airstrike on an apartment in central Beirut killed seven Hezbollah-affiliated civilian first responders.
W5 Investigates
W5 Investigates What it's like to interview a narco
Drug smuggling is the main industry for Mexican cartels, but migrant smuggling is turning into a financial windfall. In this fourth installment of CTV W5's 'Narco Jungle: The Death Train,' Avery Haines is in Juarez where she speaks with one of the human smugglers known as 'coyotes.'
B.C. man ordered to pay damages for defamatory Google review
A B.C. man has been ordered to pay a total of $4,000 to a Coquitlam company and its two owners because of a negative review he posted on Google.
For Canadians seeking a non-mRNA COVID vaccine, lack of Novavax shot is 'unfair,' advocates say
The federal government's decision to not provide Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season raises health equity concerns, experts and advocates say, as some Canadians look to the U.S. to get the shot.
Canadian figure skater suspended at least 6 years for 'sexual maltreatment'
Canadian figure skater Nikolaj Sorensen has been suspended for at least six years for 'sexual maltreatment,' the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner announced Wednesday.
Albertan first Canadian veteran to compete in Mrs. Universe pageant
In less than a year, an Alberta woman has gone from gracing the stage at her first pageant to competing at the Mrs. Universe pageant in South Korea. She's making history by becoming the first Canadian veteran to compete internationally.
A TV celebrity's 15-year-old son went travelling in Europe without an adult. Cue the outrage
In late August, U.K. television personality Kirstie Allsopp found herself in an unexpected media storm after a series of her social media posts describing her 15-year-old son's trip through Europe without adult supervision went viral.
Northern Ont. trial begins with shocking details about murder scene
The jury at the trial of a second-degree murder suspect in Sudbury on Wednesday heard graphic details of the crime scene discovered in a Kathleen Street apartment on Boxing Day 2020.
Shopping Trends
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
