Waterloo Region businesses prepare to reopen on Jan. 31
Many business owners in Waterloo Region are breathing a sigh of relief now that they can reopen on Jan. 31.
“With the anticipated loosening of some restrictions in Ontario beginning on January 31st, we all need to move forward cautiously to protect our progress and avoid going backwards,” said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang in a news release. “As restrictions are loosened, it remains as important as ever to follow public health measures and receive a vaccine.”
Bars, gyms and movie theatres among the places allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity.
- READ MORE: Full list of what's reopening in Ontario and when as COVID-19 restrictions gradually lift
“Traditionally we don’t get much notice on any of this stuff, so it's nice this time they actually gave us quite a bit of time,” said Adam Cole, manager of Kentucky Bourbon and Prohibition Warehouse.
Cole said he has already scheduled a staff meeting for Monday. He currently has about 10 staff members at each of the restaurants but hopes to go back up to about 60 employees each.
“We’re bringing back all of our full-time staff and will be posting ads soon for summer jobs,” Cole said.
Princess Cinemas will be allowed about 75 people per screening. The owner, John Tutt, said he is relieved now but was starting to lose hope.
“We were thinking 'oh it’s going to go into February'. We’ve lost our busiest time of the year,” Tutt said.
The snack bar has been closed since mid-December, as part of the pandemic guidelines. The province said that will continue for the first step of the reopening plan.
“Starting February 21 — requiring patrons to remain seated while eating or drinking at indoor restaurants, bars and other food or drink establishments (with or without dance facilities), sporting events, concert venues, theatres and cinemas, casinos, bingo halls and other gaming establishments, and horse racing tracks, car racing tracks and other similar venues,” said Ivana Yelich, executive director of media relations at the Office of the Premier of Ontario, in an e-mailed statement to CTV Kitchener.
“You can only sell t-shirts and socks and pins and stickers so much,” Tutt said.
Midtown Yoga in Kitchener was able to open for members with disabilities but the owner said being closed to the general public shouldn't have happened in the first place.
“We cannot be closing down services that are imperative for people's total well-being,” Rebecca Rose, the owner of Midtown Yoga said.
Local business owners said they are hoping this is the last time they have to reopen following pandemic restrictions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Pilot reported fire onboard plane carrying fuel, attempted to return to Fairbanks just before crash
One of the two pilots aboard an airplane carrying fuel reported there was a fire on the airplane shortly before it crashed and burned outside Fairbanks, killing both people on board, a federal aviation official said Wednesday.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.