Toronto to fine residents $3,500 for Failure to Keep 6-Feet distance

A failure to maintain a six-foot distance between two individuals not from the same household will now be punishable by a fine exceeding $3500, the City of Toronto said in a statement.

"Any two people who don't live together, who fail to keep two meters of distance between them in a park or public square, will be subject to prosecution and will be liable for a fine of up to C$5,000 [US$3538] upon conviction," the statement said on Thursday.

The emergency measure comes into effect as Canada struggles to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

Officials at all levels of government have expressed concern that too many Canadians are disregarding the advice of public health officials to practice social or physical distancing.

On Thursday, Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam revealed that the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Canada increased to 10,466, while the death toll increased to 111.

The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 965,000 people have been infected with the new coronavirus worldwide, and over 48,500 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.