Plans to loosen pandemic restrictions in Atlantic Canada are welcomed, though believed to be long overdue, according to Restaurants Canada.
“We think this will allow us to begin the road to recovery by allowing us to seek more customers and serve our customers better,” said Luc Erjavec, vice-president Atlantic for Restaurants Canada.
Outlines for easing restrictions vary by province; however, the Maritime provinces each take a significant step forward today by dropping the requirement for businesses to require proof of vaccination before entry.
“The proof of vaccination keeps a number of customers home [and] they’re extra costs for the operators,” he said.
Erjavec noted while the last two years have been difficult, losing the 2021-2022 holiday season to intensified pandemic measures and province-wide shutdowns cost restaurants hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The restaurant industry has now transitioned its plans towards reestablishing consumer confidence, and Erjavec hopes they won’t have to do that alone.
“People are turning on their T.V. and radios and listening to the premier or the chief medical officer [of health] say ‘stay home,’ it’s time for them to say, ‘okay, this is over, it’s safe to go out, you should go support your local restaurants,” Erjavec said.
Erjavec credited provinces for “very modest” financial support but said restaurants will require additional aid to ensure the industry has a complete recovery.
