A 54-year-old man has been charged and is facing a hefty fine for going into a closed Oakville park Saturday (April 11) after a Halton Regional Police officer told him with a megaphone the area cannot be entered.

The man has been charged with failing to comply with an order made during a declared emergency, contrary to the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act which came into effect last month, and received an $880 fine.

Const. Marc Taraso said the man went into Lyons Valley Park in Oakville, in the area of Fourth Line and Dundas Street West, around 4 p.m. despite warnings from the officer.

"I advised them not to enter via megaphone; ignored me," he said in a tweet. "They went around three barricades telling them not to enter; ignored them. When I caught up to them, they told me they were a taxpayer and taxpayers own the land. Told me (coronavirus) deaths are a hoax."

The incident left many people on social media upset.

"This is infuriating," Lisa Laloc said.

This comes as Oakville, along with other municipalities, have pledged to crack down on those who violated the new emergency coronavirus laws.

Oakville Mayor Rob Burton signed a new bylaw on Friday, April 3, in order to enforce physical distancing at public places and at businesses operating within the Town of Oakville.

Individuals not adhering to the physical-distancing regulation can now be fined a minimum of $750 and a maximum of up to $100,000 for each offence or issued an administrative penalty of $300.