Ontario Restaurants Now Have Strict Curfews In Place & Other Rules
Restaurant will close at 11p.m. starting December 19.
You won't be leaving your favourite bar at 2 a.m. any time soon, and you might want to take a rain check on any New Year's Eve plans.
The Ontario government just announced additional measures will be put in place in response to the Omicron variant, and restaurants, bars and establishments serving food or drink will be getting a whole host of new measures.
Starting December 19 at 12:01 a.m., restaurants and bars will be required to operate at 50% indoor capacity and close down by 11 p.m. However, take-out and delivery will still be allowed.
Guests will only be able to sit down with up to 10 people per table and they must stay seated. Dancing will not be permitted except for "workers and performers," according to a government handout.
If you're looking to get a late nightcap, you may want to do it at home.
Alcohol will not be allowed to be sold after 10 p.m. and won't be allowed to be consumed after 11 p.m.
Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliott acknowledged this was "not an easy decision to make before the holidays" but that "the evidence is clear that further public health measures are required to slow the spread of Omicron and prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed."
To help restaurants, bars and other establishments with liquor licenses, the government is "cutting wholesale prices for the alcohol they purchase from the LCBO," to save them "an effective 20% when compared to retail prices."
On Friday, the Ontario government also announced that informal social gatherings will be limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.