Ontario man fined $10,000 for holding Halloween party

A London, Ontario man has been fined $10,000 after hosting a Halloween party with 150 people in attendance.

The man, 23, hosted the party inside a small townhouse, breaking social gathering rules which allow only up to 10 people to congregate in an indoor setting at any given time.

Another man, 24, has also been fined $10,000 for attending, although no other fines have yet been distributed. In London, fines for breaking social gathering rules can reach up to $25,000.

Three people who attended the party have since tested positive for coronavirus,  CTV News reports.

The Ford government has limited the number of people who can gather in an attempt to curb the spread of Covid. Outdoor parties also have a guest-list limit of 25. No matter where this man held his party, he would have been in violation of Ontario regulations.

While the Ontario government views the capacity restrictions as a necessary protocol to limit the spread of coronavirus, some experts have questioned the wisdom of such lockdowns, pointing to skyrocketing overdoses and mental health issues linked to isolation, as well as the continued unabated spread of the virus over a month after the new restrictions were set in place.

There has been no indication from the Ford government as to when restrictions will be lifted and people will again be able to gather and hold parties.