Concerns mount over another unsanctioned car rally in Wasaga Beach this weekend
The sound of screeching tires and the smell of burning rubber is expected to invade Wasaga Beach this weekend with the return of another unauthorized car rally.
In anticipation of the event, OPP and the town say there will be an increased police presence, hoping to steer people away from prohibited behaviours.
"Respectful and lawful visitors are welcomed. The rules of the road will be enforced. If you choose to break the law, you may be charged," OPP posted to social media regarding the weekend's event.
The H20i car rally that revved into town last month resulted in nearly 200 charges for participants, including one individual accused of smashing the windows of police cruisers.
Today, police announced that 20 people were charged with 37 criminal and highway traffic act offences and warned that more charges could be coming as the investigation continues.
Many locals said the unsanctioned car rally on the weekend of Aug. 27 showed a "lack of respect," and the town's mayor said past rally participants "have shown complete disregard for public safety, various laws, and the police who enforce them."
Meanwhile, business owners worry about the negative impacts of the rallies. Store manager Debbie Predum said the last event scared away customers.
"Loyal customers that live in town," she said. "They don't want to come out. They don't want to, so the business part of it declines quite a bit."
The town said it has reached out to rally participants "on a number of occasions" to discuss hosting a legal event but claims the municipality's inquiries have gone unanswered.
Two years ago, things at the car rally got so out of hand one night that police started checking driver's identification and turned away non-residents.
However, the town says it has no authority to ban visitors, and police can't legally turn anyone away at entry points.
Provincial police warn participants that aggressive driving, tailgating, racing, and other such activities will result in stunt driving charges, resulting in a driver's licence suspension and vehicle impoundment.
Under the stunt driving laws, motorists can be charged in parking lots, on bike paths, trails, farm fields and sports fields.
With files from CTV's Christian D'Avino
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.