• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The NOTL Local

  • Home
  • News
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Current Edition
  • Buy Membership
  • Membership Offers
  •  
Home / News / Restaurant restrictions stay, with weekend concerns looming

Restaurant restrictions stay, with weekend concerns looming

November 26, 2020 by Penny Coles News

Dr. Mustafa Hirji

Toronto and Peel residents, living in a lockdown stage with restaurants and non-essential stores closed, could be flocking to Niagara this weekend to enjoy activities not available to them at home.

Dr. Mustafa Hirji, Niagara’s acting medical officer of health, says even those living in red-zone regions, such as Halton and Hamilton, “where dining is curtailed,” could find Niagara an attractive place to visit.

He says he’s worried about Black Friday, a popular shopping day, and the weekend coming up, the first since tougher COVID-19 restrictions were imposed in other areas.

One of his chief concerns is the outlet mall in Niagara-on-the-Lake, although passing by someone shopping, especially if wearing a mask, doesn’t represent as great a threat as eating in a restaurant.

“People aren’t coming together in fellowship with others” in that situation, the way they are if they are dining together, he says.

However, if the mall gets busy, it may be difficult to keep a two-metre distance. “If it gets crowded, it becomes a risk.”

This week, public health officials were reminding retail outlets of the restrictions in place, and offering some recommendations for controlling crowds, including limiting the number of people in stores if necessary, making sure people lining up are two metres apart, and are wearing masks.

The message from the Province is for people to stay home and not travel to other regions, but young people, while a diverse group, may be more likely to put themselves at risk, are also less likely to follow the rules and think about the safety of others, Hirji says.

“They might be more likely to defy the Province and come here. That is a concern.”

Hirji, who admits that last week was an “active” one for him, with intense criticism from restaurant owners and regional council’s heated discussion in opposition to limiting restaurant tables to one household, says this week has been a little quieter.

He explains the recommendation from regional councillors to rescind the specific household restriction is one he will consider, along with all the other layers of information, including comments from business owners, as he reviews the measures he has instituted. But at the beginning of the week, he wasn’t seeing anything that would change his mind.

In the long run, he says, he has to make his decision “at arms length from political influence,” and based on the public health and safety.

The best reason to rescind the restriction, he says, will be seeing the numbers of COVID cases coming down, hopefully moving the region, now in the orange stage, further away from red and into the yellow zone.

The recent outbreaks that were traced back to young people in restaurants did not result in fines, he says. It wasn’t just one situation or one restaurant, “but a pattern of circumstances.” 

“We’re trying to educate in those cases,” however, if those restaurant names show up a second time, there might be cause to consider a punishment, he added.

Health inspectors are visiting restaurants to ensure COVID-related requirements are being followed, but their priority is education.

However, bylaw and business licensing officers have levied $750 fines against businesses for infractions such as staff not wearing masks, music playing too loud, and patrons not staying at their tables, he says.

He expects his recent order “will ensure households will dine alone, and will limit the ability to spread the virus in Niagara,” leaving the region “relatively untouched” because of it.

The region actually crossed the threshold from orange to red in one of the measures that is considered, he says. “We were right on the line of red, and we crossed over on one metric, the number of cases per week per population. We were above the threshold, but we’ve pulled away.”

He hopes to see the region in the yellow zone by Christmas, he added.

Primary Sidebar

Upcoming Events

  1. Friday Night Trivia ~ “Friends”

    April 23 @ 7:30 pm - 8:00 pm

    Join us this Friday when the Trivia will be all about the show Friends.  Gather the gang and get competitive!  Join us for a virtual trivia night from the comfort of your couch.  Play on your phone, computer or tablet, no app needed just a web browser.  All are welcome! Log On To:  CROWD.LIVE Enter […]

  2. Niagara Pumphouse ~ April Family Friendly Online Studio

    April 24 @ 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Learn to make a Stained Glass Suncatcher! Hang your masterpiece on your window for a colourful Spring décor.  For details, please visit:  https://niagarapumphouse.ca For this project, you will need: – Wax paper or plastic page protector – Printout of templates (download templates below) – mixed tissue paper cut into squares – white glue – container […]

  3. Monday Makers: Create with Kasia ~Virtually! Ages 7 – 13

    April 24 @ 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

    Join us for a fun and creative art break for your brain! PANDA PAINTING: Join Kasia to learn how to make a fun and easy mixed-media masterpiece with a cute panda and green leafy bamboo.  No experience necessary! Participants are asked to visit https://notlpubliclibrary.org to pre-register for April 26th.  Once registered, you will receive an […]

  4. Monday Makers: Create with Kasia ~ Virtually! Ages 7 – 13

    April 26 @ 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

    Join us for a fun and creative art break for your brain! PANDA PAINTING: Join Kasia to learn how to make a fun and easy mixed-media masterpiece with a cute panda and green leafy bamboo.  No experience necessary! Participants are asked to visit https://notlpubliclibrary.org to pre-register.  Once registered, you will receive an email with details […]

  5. Author Talks ~ Jennifer Robson ~ 14+

    April 28 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

    Join us in welcoming Jennifer Robson as our next author in our 2021 Author Talk Series!  Enjoy an evening with writer Jennifer Robson from the comfort of your home as she talks about her book “Our Darkest Night”.  Although we will be apart there will be plenty of time for questions and conversation.  This free […]

View All Events

Footer

About Us

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Local and notllocal.com were established in 2018 to be your community newspaper. We hope you will think of us as The Local, representing the heart and soul of the community you call home.

I want to…

  • Send a letter to the editor
  • Submit a community event
  • Advertise with The Niagara-on-the-Lake Local

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

© 2021 · Site Design and Hosting by The GDC Group