Smaller crowds, fewer charges in early St. Patrick’s Day report card
Posted Mar 20, 2026 10:20:59 AM.
Last Updated Mar 20, 2026 10:56:44 AM.
We’re getting an early glimpse at regional police and municipal bylaw enforcement efforts during this year’s unsanctioned St. Patrick’s Day street gathering in Waterloo.
Despite St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Tuesday this year, police report that the sea of green revellers reached its peak of 7,500 party-goers on Saturday, March 14 — a notably steep decline compared to the estimate of 20,000 mid-afternoon peak last year, provided in 2025’s final report to the police service’s board.
Enforcement efforts also saw a decline in the number of charges laid when compared to last year’s 254, though there were still a total of 218 charges laid between March 13 and March 18, over half of which were under the Highway Traffic Act.
According to the initial report from regional police, there were 128 charges laid under that act this year, a decline from 168 issued during 2025. Police also report a decline in other charges, including those under the Criminal Code, from 25 last year to six this year, and a drop in charges under the Cannabis Control Act, from five charges to just one last weekend.
There was a notable increase in the number of charges laid for violations under the Liquor Licence and Control Act from 2025 to 2026, with 58 charges issued this year compared to 35.
While the final report from 2025 showed 17 arrests, it’s unclear how many were made during this year’s celebration, if any.
Regional police have since offered their thanks to community partners in ensuring public safety “during this unlawful event.”
The City of Waterloo also offered insight into the bylaw charges laid by their officers during the most recent St. Patrick’s Day unsanctioned gathering, with 72 calls for service of noise and nuisance recorded. That’s a decline compared to last year’s 129 calls.
During their operational period, said to mainly be through March 14, the City of Waterloo issued $20,000 worth of fines, primarily related to noise complaints.
Those fines include:
- 7 charges for nuisance party ($800 fine)
- 6 charges for block or interfere with pedestrian or vehicle traffic ($800 fine)
- 21 charges for noise ($400 fine)
- 3 charges for public urination ($400 fine)
Also issued by Waterloo bylaw were 49 clean-up orders for lot maintenance or property standards issues.
“We are disappointed that students and others continued to gather on our streets, creating a nuisance and a community safety concern,” reads a statement from Grant Curlew, the acting director of municipal enforcement services for the City of Waterloo.
“We are thankful there were no significant injuries, and that crowds were smaller, more contained and dispersed more quickly than in previous years.”
The next meeting of the region’s police services board is set for April 15.
