BARRIE, ONT. -- Ontario provincial police charged six men from the Windsor area who they say were gathered at a short-term rental property in Oro-Medonte.
According to the OPP, officers received information about the group hanging out near Parkside Beach on Thursday night.
Police say the men rented a house through a popular short-term rental service.
Under the current stay-at-home order, all indoor and outdoor social gatherings are prohibited, except for members of the same household.
The six men are charged with failing to comply with the Reopening Ontario Act and were all issued provincial offence notices.
Recently, residents in Oro-Medonte expressed their concern about an influx of out-of-towners with the May long weekend approaching.
"Every day there is a party, and there is no time to be outside, relax and enjoy the lake." said resident Dianna Gerrard, who blames tenants of short-term rental accommodations for disrupting her tranquillity.
Some of the locals formed an alliance to push the town to further enforce its short-term rental accommodation bylaw on disruptive tenants.
The township had said it was trying to amend the current bylaw. The mayor added that short-term rentals don't belong in residential areas.
Meanwhile, short-term rental operators are appealing the bylaw with the local planning tribunal.
Under Ontario's Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, short-term rentals — defined as 28 days or less — are currently only allowed to be rented to people in need of emergency housing, not for partying or vacationing.
On Thursday, Premier Doug Ford extended the stay-at-home order another two weeks until at least June 2.
