Brampton Is The Hotspot In Ontario For COVID-19 & The City Is Blaming Illegal Parties

It seems that those in Brampton just want to keep the party going. After facing a problem with multiple illegal gatherings, Brampton's COVID-19 cases have turned the city into the provincial hotspot. The city is now beating Toronto in cases per capita. 

Brampton holds the title for the second-highest number of cases in the GTHA overall.

However, according to City News, the city recently reported an average of 61 active cases per 100,000 residents, which was slightly higher than Toronto’s 53 active cases on Wednesday.

So, although Toronto is still reporting more cases on the daily, Brampton is clocking in more per capita, which has turned the city into the provincial hotspot. 

City officials believe that careless gatherings are a big contributing factor behind its rise in cases.

Councillor Pat Fortini revealed on June 10 that a record-breaking number of bylaw infraction charges were laid between June 2 and 8.

Many of the fines were handed out during the busting of unauthorized parties.

“Some of these parties there were 30 to 40 people,” he told CityNews. “It is frustrating. I think that if everyone suffers that three-four weeks and obeys the rules, we’ll get through this a lot faster,” he said.

It was also reported that 24 Brampton backyard parties were shut down just last week alone.

A total of 127 punishments were handed out last week, which Fortini noted is the most in any week since the province first declared a state of emergency.

However, it isn’t just backyard shindigs that are giving the city a bad rep. 

Illegal gathering at abandoned parking lots are also starting to become a problem for the area.

27 bylaw charges were handed out last week in connection to these gatherings. 

Brampton's mayor Patrick Brown has asked residents to stop these parties and to practice social distancing. 

"Just because you can’t hold a party at your home doesn’t mean you can hold a party in a parking lot.”

Earlier this week it was also revealed that many young Ontarians are starting to get COVID-19. However, the reasoning behind why is still unclear.