Vancouver restaurants preparing for return to indoor dining after May long weekend
Posted May 21, 2021 1:00 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — B.C. Premier John Horgan announced ‘circuit breaker’ restrictions are coming to an end Tuesday.
This has local bars and restaurants gearing up to welcome customers indoors once again.
However, some businesses are unclear about what the end to these restrictions means.
Meeru Dhalwala is co-owner of Vij’s Restaurant in Vancouver and says she isn’t assuming the province will definitely allow indoor dining Tuesday, but she is making sure he staff are prepared.
With the province’s so-called ‘circuit breaker’ restrictions set to end Tuesday, restaurants are unclear what that means for indoor dining. @MirandaFatur reports. https://t.co/baLCmycRrZ #COVID19BC #BCpoli pic.twitter.com/482qggG83Q
— CityNews Vancouver (@CityNewsVAN) May 21, 2021
During Thursday’s press conference, Premier John Horgan wasn’t clear on what awaits restaurants come Tuesday.
“The challenges of managing this in a fair way, so everyone in the circuit breaker gets info at the same time is to hold the position that the circuit breaker is in effect until Monday. On Tuesday, Health Minister Adrian Dix, Dr. Bonnie Henry and I will lay out the roadmap going forward.”
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Ian Tostenson with the B.C. Restaurant and Food Services Association took the message as a green light for indoor dining to reopen on Tuesday.
“The premier said the circuit breaker protocols will end Monday. That means restaurants can go back to what they were doing before but he didn’t want to say that. I think he just wants to clamp down on this weekend, and then we will see restaurants reopen to indoor dining.”
While B.C. residents await the reopening plan set to be unveiled Tuesday, Dhalwala hopes the province will give restaurants a heads up.
“Ideally 48 hours would be awesome instead of being told Monday afternoon: ‘Hey! You can open tomorrow.”
Horgan emphasizes people must still heed the restrictions this long weekend, which are set to expire at 12 a.m. Tuesday.
