Quebec bars and restaurants to operate at full capacity as of Nov. 1
As of Nov. 1., Quebec's bars and restaurants will be able to operate at full capacity, the province announced Thursday.
Current COVID-19 restrictions allow establishments to fill to a maximum of 50 per cent.
According to a press release from the Quebec government, bars will not only be able to pack a full house but will also be permitted to stay open until 3 a.m. instead of 2 a.m.
They'll also be allowed to distance tables by one metre instead of two, and maximum of 10 people or the occupants of three private residences may gather per table.
But for karaoke and dance enthusiasts, the updated rules may not be entirely satisfying; the ban on dancing and singing remains in effect until further notice.
Nevertheless, the new restrictions are a sigh of relief for the bar and restaurant industry, which has suffered considerably as a result of the pandemic.
Kimberlie Doucet, general manager of Ye Old Orchard pub in Monkland, told CTV News she's thrilled by the news.
"[We're] a little nervous, because we haven't been at full capacity in like two years now, so we don't know what that's going to bring. But [we're] excited to get people a little more back to normal for sure," she said.
Doucet said that, due to the current capacity limits, the pub frequently has to turn patrons away.
"Especially now with the terrasse [season] being pretty much over, we're going to need that extra space."
Large venues such as the Bell Centre were permitted to operate at full capacity beginning on Oct. 8, prompting outrage among bar owners, who accused the government of enforcing a double standard.
Doucet said it's about time the bar and restaurant industry be given the same freedoms.
"It's not about public safety at this point, it's just about them getting what they want in terms of the Canadiens playing and the Bell Centre making all their money, but we're kind of always the last to come back to normal," she said.
The new health measures will still require patrons to wear masks and present their vaccine passports when entering bars and restaurants.
"Minimal distancing and basic prevention measures remain essential. We are moving cautiously towards a return to normality, but caution is required," reads a quote from Health Minister Christian Dube included in the press release.
'TODAY, WE'RE HAPPY': BAR OWNERS' ASSOCIATION
The restaurant association of Quebec, the ARQ, said the loosening of restrictions will allow their businesses to finally begin "a return to normality."
"They have been rigorously applying all the sanitary measures for months. I can tell you that I was very anxious for them to be able to take advantage of the relaxations," Martin Vézina, ARQ's director of public and governmental affairs, told The Canadian Press.
Renaud Poulin, president of the Corporation des propriétaires de bars, brasseries et tavernes du Québec agreed.
“Today, we’re happy. It’s a good step in the right direction,” he told CTV News Thursday.
He said bars have been closed for nine of the last 18 months and have taken a serious hit to their bottom line by not being able to operate at full capacity.
“For us it’s … a bit of fresh air. We’re getting back to what a bar is,” Poulin said.
He said his organization will be in talks next week with public health to discuss the next thing on his wish list: allowing dancing in bars and karaoke.
-- With files from The Canadian Press.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Attempt to have murder charge quashed against alleged serial killer dismissed by judge
A motion filed by the man accused of killing four Indigenous women in Winnipeg to have one of those murder charges quashed has been dismissed by the judge – weeks before the start of his trial.
Government proposes new policy for federally regulated employees to disconnect from work
In their 2024 budget, the federal government wants to amend the Canada Labour Code, so employers in federally regulated sectors will eliminate work-related communication with employees outside of scheduled hours. If implemented, this would affect roughly 500,000 employees across the country.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.