The North Bay City Police, Anishinabek Police, and the North Bay Ontario Provincial Police launched its festive R.I.D.E. program to fight drinking and driving during the holiday season.
While that targets impaired drivers, the police will also use the tool to help monitor Christmas parties which are being discouraged by the province due to rising COVID-19 numbers.
"If we do hear of group gatherings larger than 10 we will definitely investigate," stated Constable Shona Camirand of the North Bay OPP.
"It is not worth it the way things are going right now with COVID-19. We need to ensure everybody is abiding by the laws."
Jeff Warner, Inspector with the North Bay Police Service agrees.
"That is one of the problems we are going to be facing, is that this time of year people like to get together for group gatherings and the regulations still say 10 people inside," said Warner.
"When we do get complaints on that we do investigate them. We are at the stage now I think there has been enough education that we are stepping up to enforcement action when we do get those complaints that are valid complaints. We will be enforcing the legislation."
Warner says the time for handing out warnings is gone.
"I realize people are suffering from COVID-19 fatigue and everyone is tired of the routine we have been going through but unfortunately this is not the time to lax off on any of that stuff we still have to keep the safety measures in place, we have to keep the numbers down," he said.
"This just is not the time to let up."
According to the province, those caught hosting events involving more than 10 people could face fines as high as $10,000 while individuals would face a fine of more than $800.
