Downtown Vancouver welcomes changes to restaurant, bar capacity

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A new order from B.C.’s top doctor is making it easier for restaurants and bars to do business by doing away with the one-size-fits-all 50 per cent capacity limit.

The new rules from Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, still cap overall numbers in bars and restaurants at 50 people, but also allows more freedom for these places to set their own capacity limits. Maintaining proper physical distancing and only allowing groups of no more than six people are also required.

Charles Gauthier, president of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association says his group is happy Dr. Henry has been listening to their concerns.

“She’s moving away from one-size-fits-all 50 per cent capacity, and saying you come up with the safety plan,” he says.

Gauthier says this is something they’ve been asking the province to change since the re-opening was first authorized under rules first set on May 22nd.

“It really provides much more flexibility for the restaurants and also for them to take more responsibility in developing their safety plan,” Gauthier says.

He notes B.C. has been in Phase 2 of its restart plan for several weeks and there hasn’t been a reported community outbreak at restaurants or bars yet.

“We view this as a reward for practicing good hygiene and also adhering to the social distancing rules.”

While Gauthier says people should be allowed the opportunity to go back to restaurants, this is important for the business owners as well.

“[The new regulations] allows operators to have the chance to be successful because that wasn’t going to be the case. Everyone hears it loud and clear 50 per cent capacity was not economically viable for them.”

Re #COVID19 requirements for restaurants – dr Henry says more specific and updated orders for size limits, avoiding choke points at washrooms, in lines for take out. #bcpoli @NEWS1130 #covid19

— LizaYuzda (@LizaYuzda) June 11, 2020

“It also identifies some of the chokepoints in restaurants and puts in requirements for measures to be put in place so people aren’t congregating on the way to the washroom, for example,” the provincial health officer says.

Buffets and similar self-serve setups have new restrictions to reduce transmission as well, she adds.

Meanwhile, Ian Tostenson with the BC Restaurant and Food Services Association feels this is a positive development, but there’s still a long way to go.

“If you take this and combine it with the patio initiatives that allow a restaurant to spread out their capacity more. These are all providing ways for us to get back to some sort of healthy industry.”

He says the whole industry carries a big responsibility right now, and he’s happy with how people have responded to the sector as the Province has slowly reopened during the pandemic.

“It’s really pleasing. We appreciate the people who do come out (to restaurants),” he says.

“I think we’re doing a good job of providing that safety in a world that we’ve never dealt with before.”