Better late than never, health unit lifts Section 22 order on capacity restrictions
More than a day after capacity restrictions were lifted by the province in businesses requiring proof of vaccination, the Middlesex-London Health Unit on Tuesday afternoon finally modified its Section 22 order which kept those restrictions in place.
“We couldn’t do anything Doug Ford told us,” said Adam Winkler, who owns and operates Winks Eatery on London’s Richmond Row. “We had to continue doing everything we did for the last year and a half.”
The Section 22 Order under the Health Protection and Promotion Act required barriers in between tables or physical distancing of two metres. It was put in place last month in anticipation of Western University celebrations around Homecoming and Fake Homecoming (HoCo or FoCo).
Associate Medical Officer of Health Dr. Alex Summers said they didn’t forget, rather, the provincial regulations changed so rapidly they didn’t have time to respond right away.
“We wanted to make sure that we had full understanding of the provincial regulations before we modified the order. Again, things come very quickly on a Friday afternoon and we have to act through the weekend and into yesterday.”
According to the health unit, those who fail to comply could face fines of $750 for individuals and $1,000 for a business or organization.
The modified order takes effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
One part of the Section 22 Order that will remain in place is that food and drink can only be consumed in designated areas. Summers said patrons must wear a mask anywhere else in an establishment.
“What we’re trying to avoid here is the proverbial loophole where somebody’s up and dancing with a drink in their hand, no physical distance, mingling with a bunch of people, and their mask is off because they’ve got a drink in their hand.”
Meanwhile, as the hard-hit restaurant industry in London continues to recover from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurateurs are calling for patio extensions to be expanded into next year.
London city council granted restaurants and bars extra outdoor space so they would have a better chance at surviving pandemic restrictions, including lockdowns and reduced capacity.
Winkler said restaurants are hoping the program goes into next year and beyond, and that council makes a decision sooner rather than later so restaurants can plan.
“Why not do it again? You know it’s been proven that we don’t need to jump through all the hoops and fill out all the fine print. It made it a lot easier for us, a lot less stressful for all our businesses that have been dealing with everything, and the sanctions and everything else.”
CTV News London has learned that a staff report with patio recommendations is expected to be published Wednesday.
The health unit’s Section 22 Order for organized public events and social gatherings remains in effect.
— With files from CTV News London's Kristylee Varley
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.