Cambridge bylaw staff has had an admittedly tough spring as they work to ensure residents are following stay-at-home rules and public health guidelines at home or in parks and public spaces.
Dan Smith, manager of bylaw compliance for the City of Cambridge, knows what his staff is up against and is urging the city’s residents to be respectful and cooperative as we make our way to the home stretch under the provincial stay at home order.
Throughout the pandemic, bylaw has dealt with the majority of complaints that have flooded the city’s call centre and inbox about private social gatherings and illegal gatherings in parks. In some cases, bylaw responds while Waterloo regional police provide backup.
Since March of last year, city staff has issued 44 charges, most of which are attributed to enforcing measures put in place by the province under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA). The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act gives authority to the city’s bylaw officers to lay charges as well.
Fines start at $700.
“We’re seeing a lot of our reactive response related to gatherings in private dwellings,” Smith said. “We’ve had some increased hours. There’s been a little more overtime to ensure we’re providing service to the community.”
The ROA prohibits gatherings in private and public spaces, and requires municipalities to close facilities like tennis and basketball courts, and skateboard parks.
Cambridge's bylaw compliance officers are mandated to enforce the provincial order despite conflicting information about the spread of COVID-19 outdoors.
Almost since the beginning of the recent stay-at-home order, the Canadian Paediatric Society has been urging the provincial government to rethink its stance on limiting outdoor activities, citing low risk to virus spread and the impact of restrictions on the mental and physical health of children.
It's the sort of mixed messaging that has made it difficult for officers who have been playing a real-life version of whack a mole as they patrol the city’s parks looking for people not following the rules.
Inevitably, within hours or even minutes after officers dispel a crowd of kids from a skatepark, basketball court or field, they’re back playing.
Riverside Park in Preston is one of the hot spots for enforcement, specifically the skatepark where kids congregate on a daily basis to meet up with friends while skating the ramps and rails which haven’t been fenced off. Instead, signs are clearly visible stating why the park is closed.
“We’re not looking to issue charges with the youth," said Smith. "Instead, we do a lot of communication with them.”
The situation could change as early as this weekend if the province moves to lift restrictions on outdoor activities like golf, tennis and basketball, before the stay-at-home order expires June 2.
Until that happens, the city’s bylaw compliance officers will continue trying to engage with people in an effort to educate, while ensuring residents are following public health guidelines around physical distancing and wearing masks.
“We see ourselves as more of an information source,” says Smith, whose staff has taken on the role of educators and acted as a "sounding board" as situations change.
“People are frustrated. We get that. But we have to ensure we are meeting the mandate as a bylaw enforcement agency,” Smith said.
Cambridge has been good at compliance and for the most part it’s been a positive experience, he said. Most residents appreciate seeing bylaw officers responding to complaints and know city staff are approachable.
But some of those Interactions haven’t been as positive in recent weeks. The conversations have been getting more difficult, Smith said, attributing much of the increasing frustration to the warmer weather and the urge everyone feels to get outside.
“Nice weather is a trigger for people and complaints are up,” Smith said. “People want to get out, they’re tired of being in their homes.”
The city has noticed an increase in vandalism to the "closed to stop the spread of COVID-19" signs posted in city parks, adding to the $1,600 tab to post them.
Smith sympathizes with the frustration.
“Our officers are out there. They have their own families. They have to abide by the same rules when they go home. They can relate to people in that way,” Smith says. “They want to have those conversations, but we have a responsibility to ensure people abide by these rules so we can hopefully get out of the situation that we’re in.”
On Wednesday, the City of Cambridge issued a reminder about what the restrictions mean for the usually raucous long weekend.
Unless the rules around outdoor activities change, residents may notice an increased presence of bylaw compliance officers in the city’s parks. Staff will be available 24-7 to respond to complaints.
“We’re anticipating people wanting to be out, socializing,” Smith said. “We’re anticipating that and we’re planning for it.”
Public firework displays have been cancelled across the region and attendance at private backyard displays is limited to members of the household.
“I know most of us are eager to have a somewhat normal summer, but we need stay the course this long weekend so that we can have a full and active summer,” Deputy Mayor Mike Mann said in the release. “I urge everyone to stay focused on finding creative ways to celebrate at home rather than together during the stay-at-home order. Let’s look to the future and keep safe this weekend.”
Residents can get more information about which city facilities are open or closed by visiting www.servicecambridge.ca.
That information could change quickly.
It's a frustration experienced by city staff who find out about new provincial rules at the same time the public does.
“If we do have any advance notice it’s usually the day of the change,” Smith said. “We have to adapt very quickly.”
Until the order is lifted, Smith says he wants to remind residents to be kind to city staff as they do their jobs and remember that a lot of the responsibility that’s put on them is outside of their control.
“We’re hoping people will remember that we’re out there to keep them safe.”
