Ontario restaurants slam province's decision to lift capacity restrictions for only some venues
Restaurants and bars have been excluded from the list of venues in Ontario that are allowed again to operate at full capacity, leaving many owners shocked and disappointed.
Tino Bianchi, who owns restaurants in the Greater Toronto Area, says he feels like they are being "targeted" by the province.
"It feels very unfair," Bianchi told CP24 Saturday afternoon.
"We've been through a rollercoaster ride throughout the lockdowns, the shutdowns, being partially opened at times. And it just feels unfair that other venues are allowed … full capacity."
The Ontario government announced late Friday afternoon that starting Oct. 9, it is "cautiously lifting" capacity restrictions at several settings requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination. They include spectator areas of facilities for sports and recreational fitness, cinemas, theatres, concert arenas, horse and car racing tracks, and film and TV productions with studio audiences.
The changes also apply to meeting and event spaces, but indoor capacity is limited to the number that would enable physical distancing.
The province said masking, screening and collecting information to support contact tracing would continue in these settings, while physical distancing will not be required with some exceptions.
The lifting of capacity limits comes as the Toronto Raptors and Toronto Maple Leafs get ready to open their respective seasons. It would allow them to play in front of a packed crowd at Scotiabank Arena for the first time since the pandemic began.
"It's unfair that a venue like an arena can pack in 20,000 people, and people can be sitting side by side," Bianchi said.
"It just feels unfair that big corporations and big box stores are allowed to operate at full capacity, and the small business owners are left in the dust."
He added that it is now time for the government to let restaurants operate at full capacity as they begin their recovery from the pandemic.
"We work much thinner margins at the end of the day. And it's already challenging with prices of food and other inflation. It's really important that we can get back to trying to run our businesses at a capacity that will make us survive," Bianchi said.
In a statement to CP24 Saturday, Alexandra Hilkene, a Ministry of Health spokesperson, said restaurants, bars and other food and drink establishments "do not have hard capacity limits." She added those establishments are limited to the number of people that can maintain physical distancing.
"That is because they are higher risk settings – prolonged close contact in enclosed spaces where face coverings are removed for the entire duration when seated," Hilkene said.
"The Chief Medical Officer of Health will continue to monitor the data and evaluate when it may be safe to consider lifting limits in other settings that require proof of vaccination."
Following the announcement, Restaurants Canada expressed their disappointment and renewed its call for all remaining capacity limits for restaurants and bars to be lifted.
"It's frustrating," Restaurants Canada vice-president James Rilett said in an interview with CP24 Saturday morning.
"We talked to the government. We thought they heard us. (We) thought they knew that the industry is in peril that (we) need help. At the first opportunity to help us, they just helped the big, large businesses and left small businesses in a lurch."
He said keeping restaurant capacity restrictions in place "makes no sense." Restaurants are also requiring their customers to provide proof of vaccination to enter their establishments.
"We don't understand why Ontario is singling us out to continue to have restrictions when 20,000 screaming fans can be shoulder to shoulder," Rilett said.
"It's hard for me not to have my disappointment show. Our restaurants are suffering every day, and it just continues. There's no hope that this will be lifted anytime soon."
Dan Kelly, the president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, said his group had received many angry messages from restaurants, gyms, dance studios over the capacity changes.
"To be clear, it is good news that Ontario is lifting capacity limits. But doing so for the big guys and not the small makes no sense and leads to questions, once again, as to why a government would so actively favour large firms over small," Kelly tweeted Saturday.
Correction
This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the given name of restaurant owner Tino Bianchi.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Denial and uncertainty are looming over a Biden-Trump rematch 6 months out from U.S. Election Day
Exactly six months before Election Day, Biden and Trump are locked in the first contest in 112 years with a current and former president competing for the White House. It's a race that is at once deeply entrenched and highly in flux as many voters are only just beginning to embrace the reality of the 2024 campaign.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Should you save or splurge on makeup this summer?
If you're wondering whether you should splurge or save when it comes to buying skincare products and makeup this summer, we got some answers for you.
What a judge's gag order on Trump means in his hush money case
A gag order bars Trump from commenting publicly on witnesses, jurors and some others connected to the matter. The New York judge already has found that Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, repeatedly violated the order, fined him US$9,000 and warning that jail could follow if he doesn't comply.
Israel closes Gaza crossing after Hamas attack and vows military operation 'in the very near future'
Israel closed its main crossing point for delivering badly needed humanitarian aid for Gaza on Sunday after Hamas militants attacked it, reportedly wounding several Israelis, while the defense minister warned of "a powerful operation in the very near future in Rafah and other places across all of Gaza."
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Maple Leafs eliminated from NHL playoffs with Game 7 OT loss to Bruins
Sheldon Keefe told his players hockey history would remember them one way or another.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.