$1,000 Health Protection Act ticket issued after Halifax house party Friday night

A house party on Edward Street with about 60 people in attendance was broken up by Halifax police on Friday night, and a $1,000 ticket was issued under the Health Protection Act.

Halifax Regional Police confirmed theparty was onEdward Street.

On Twitter, Halifax councillor Waye Mason said the person who reported the party "did the right thing" but more must be done to discourage large gatherings.

"I've spoke to both provincial folks and health folks asking that steps be taken to increase fines - should be every participant gets ticketed, in Howe Hall, at a house party, at a dinner party in the South End. 1 ticket is insufficient," Mason said in a tweet on Saturday.

The party happened the same day Premier Stephen McNeil announced that residents in the Halifax Regional Municipality will be limited to only five people gathering in a close social groupwithout physical distancing, starting on Monday. Before, 10 people could gather without physical distancing.

This is one of several new COVID-19 protection measures announced in Nova Scotia on Friday, as the premier and chief medical officer of health expressed concern about18- to 35-year-olds in the province.

"They are going out when they are feeling sick. They are going out in large groups and frankly different groups and are not distancing," Stephen McNeil said on Friday afternoon.

"They are living as if COVID doesn't exist."