The task force will examine how to end unsanctioned street parties in 2-5 years

It's March, and that means St. Patrick's Day is in a couple weeks.

And with St. Patrick's Day, comes the annual unsanctioned street party along Ezra Avenue.

But if Waterloo city council has their way, the party could come to a halt within the next two to five years.

According to the council agenda, there are strategies in place to control this year's gathering --- along with Laurier Homecoming festivities this fall --- and this task force will focus on strategies for 2020 and beyond.

This task force will consist of members of many organizations, including all three major post-secondary schools in the region, their student unions, the city and first responders, among others.

The obvious issues stem from public safety, the reputation of the schools, the cost and crowd behaviour.

There will be consultation with the public to help generate ideas, with a draft approach coming back to council sometime in the fall.

Their meeting gets underway at 3:00 p.m. Monday, when an update on the task force will be presented.

This, with just 13 days to go before St. Patrick's Day, and as numbers of people continue to climb year-over-year on Ezra Avenue.

Last year's unsanctioned event drew in 22,000 people, up from between five and seven thousand people in 2015.