More than 150 tickets handed out in Ottawa ahead of Canada Day

Ottawa bylaw officers have already handed out more than 150 tickets as part of stepped-up enforcement efforts around the Canada Day weekend. 

The city has been preparing for large crowds coming to Ottawa to celebrate Canada Day, and the return of protest groups related to the Freedom Convoy.

An exclusionary zone went into effect for much of the downtown core Wednesday at 8 a.m. with no street parking at all and no protest vehicles allowed in until at least 6 a.m. on Monday, July 4.

By around 9 a.m. Thursday Ottawa bylaw said officers had issued 154 tickets and towed 44 vehicles.

"I think they got a lot on their plate with what's coming, so I can imagine they're just doing what they need to do to clear the area and get people like me out of here," said Zach Coakeley who was ticketed but wasn't too upset about it.

Some thought it was unfair for people who work and live in the city's downtown core.

"This is a great city to be in, the downtown is really lovely, it's a pretty cool area especially around the downtown core," said Chris Buchan-Terrell.

"It's a shame that they have to adjust their lives like that, it's not fair." 

Other citizens thought this enforcement would have been useful earlier. 

"I think they should have done that in February and we wouldn't be here now," said Simon Rocheleau.

"People's freedom to protest kind of stops where other people's freedoms start so it's good that we're putting a boundary to that."

All bylaws to be enforced, says city

Ottawa police also tweeted Wednesday that they had also stopped a small convoy from entering the city, and ticketed them. 

The city sent out a press release Wednesday that said officers will be enforcing bylaws regarding noise, litter, fireworks, and on-street parking and stopping as well as:

• No unnecessary motor-vehicle or other noise, including speakers or shouting.
• No unnecessary motor-vehicle idling.
• No encumbering a sidewalk or roadway by any means, including setting up tents or other illegal structures.
• No public urination and defecation.
• No open air fires.
• No littering.
• Discharging of fireworks — contravening any regulations under fireworks bylaw.

In regards to fireworks, the city noted they can't be discharged in public areas and spaces including streets and parks, and that they are only permitted on private property two times a year, around Victoria Day and Canada Day . 

The city said that a number of fines have been raised to $1,000.