Sudbury businesses brace for return of COVID-19 restrictions Wednesday
Business owners in Sudbury say it’s a disappointing step backward, but it’s one they’re used to as strict capacity limits return at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday.
“I’m not exactly happy about it, but if it prevents complete lockdown further down the line, then I would much prefer that over locking down again,” said Chris Cunningham, owner of Jak’s Diner on Barrydowne Road.
As of Wednesday, capacity limits are back in effect for places that require proof of vaccination like sit-down restaurants and gyms.
The measures are an attempt to slow the spread of the disease in the city, where hundreds of cases have been added in recent weeks. Another 33 cases were announced Tuesday, and three new outbreaks: at The Rock Harley-Davidson, The Grand Nightclub and Holy Trinity Catholic School.
Cunningham said he'd rather officials act now, before a full lockdown becomes necessary.
“It’s a little bit frustrating,” he said. “But it’s better than closing completely.”
During a media conference Monday, Public Health Sudbury & Districts also said it would be strengthening mask mandates at public events, both inside and outdoors similar to what was seen earlier in the pandemic.
A new restriction this time around requires proof of vaccination for anyone aged 12 and older playing organized sports.
Officials at the YMCA in Sudbury said they were prepared.
“We actually put in place when the vaccination policy was rolled out that anyone entering the facility 12 plus, regardless if they were participating in an active sport or not, had to be vaccinated,” said Kendra MacIsaac.
“In terms of some of the physical distancing that has been put back in place, again, we have so much space here at the Y that that’s something we’re easily able to accommodate.”
Business owners were able to operate at full capacity for a few weeks. For Cunningham, that meant having all tables open again. including the diner counter.
“We have a lot of loyal regulars who eat by themselves, so they would prefer to eat at the counter alone instead of taking up a table,” he said. “So they’re the ones that are going to feel it the most.”
At the YMCA, reopening meant all equipment was open without having to skip every other machine in order to maintain physical distancing.
“As we get busier, there were points in time where all treadmills were being used so members will have to take turns and use the equipment as its available based on the limited number now that we will have in place,” said MacIsaac.
However, with active COVID-19 cases in the city sitting at 263, officials with the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce said the new restrictions are needed.
“It’s unfortunate that we are under restrictions once again,” said Neil Milner. “But they are necessary in order to ensure that we don’t get further restrictions later.”
Milner said that even though it is frustrating, businesses really do still need the community’s support.
“From my perspective, they’re doing a great service to the community in helping us limit the spread of COVID-19," he said.
"I would actually ask that the community continue to support local and please let the staff and owners know that their hard work and efforts are appreciated."
Right now, there is no end date on when Sudbury will be able to join the rest of the province again and lift the restrictions.
But officials said it’s critical that people continue to do their part so that eventually, things can return to normal.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Parents of infant who died in wrong-way crash on Ontario's Hwy. 401 were in same vehicle
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit has released new details about a wrong-way collision in Whitby on Monday night that claimed the lives of four people.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
OPP's mandatory alcohol screening during traffic stops 'not acceptable': CCLA
A spike in impaired driving-related collisions has caused Ontario’s provincial police to begin enforcing mandatory alcohol screening (MAS) at all traffic stops in the Greater Toronto Area -- a move one civil rights group says is ‘not acceptable.’
Maple Leafs down Bruins 2-1 to force Game 7
William Nylander scored twice and Joseph Woll made 22 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs downed the Boston Bruins 2-1 on Thursday to force Game 7 in their first-round series.
Jurors in Trump hush money trial hear recording of pivotal call on plan to buy affair story
Jurors in the hush money trial of Donald Trump heard a recording Thursday of him discussing with his then-lawyer and personal fixer a plan to purchase the silence of a Playboy model who has said she had an affair with the former president.
Southern Alberta store broken into by burly black bear
Staff at a small southern Alberta office supply store were shocked to find someone had broken into the business last week, but they were even more confused when they discovered the culprit was a bear.
Captain sentenced to 4 years for criminal negligence in fiery deaths of 34 aboard scuba boat
A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a scuba dive boat captain to four years in custody and three years supervised release for criminal negligence after 34 people died in a fire aboard the vessel.
New scam targets Canada Carbon Rebate recipients
Fake text message and email campaigns trying to get money and information out of unsuspecting Canadian taxpayers have started circulating, just months after the federal government rebranded the carbon tax rebate the Canada Carbon Rebate.