After frat party racks up $5K in fines, UBC vice-president urges students to follow public health orders

VANCOUVER -

The vice-president of the students portfolio at a B.C. university is speaking out after a wild frat party involving hundreds of students last weekend racked up $5,000 in COVID-19 related fines.

Video of the event shows a crowd of young people dancing indoors at a property somewhere in the fraternity village of the University of British Columbia's Wesbrook Mall on the Point Grey campus Sunday.

Ainsley Carry says this type of behaviour is "not acceptable."

"While I understand the value of social gatherings to connect students at the beginning of the new school year, large social gatherings have the potential to trigger COVID-19 outbreaks," he said in a statement released Thursday.

Multiple fraternities and sororities were issued fines by University RCMP for noise and public health violations as a result of the party, where few guests were wearing masks and there was insufficient room for physical distancing.

"We do not want parties to jeopardize the safe return to campus and everything for which we have all worked so hard," says Carry.

Carry is calling on all student organizations to do their part in stopping the spread of COVID-19, by following public health orders.

In addition, he's asking students to not only avoid large indoor social gatherings that violate those orders, but to report them.

"It is imperative that all of us take responsibility, not only for our health, but the health and safety of those around us," says Carry.

Carry's office is also planning to host a mandatory training session with all fraternity and sorority presidents in partnership with the RCMP and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services.