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July 9, 2020 9h16
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Coronavirus: Quebec is poised to tighten the screws on the bars
Michel Saba
The Canadian Press
Helen Mocha
The canadian Press
MONTREAL – The Quebec government is poised to tighten the screws on the industry of the bars to limit the spread of the COVID-19.
The minister of Health, Christian Dubé, shall make an announcement regarding the implementation of additional measures affecting the bars, Thursday afternoon at Montreal, in the company of the national director of public health, Dr. Horacio Arruda.
Various sources have confirmed to The canadian Press that Quebec would impose the bars closed at midnight, and this, as of this weekend. This would be in addition to the imposition of a registry of the clients who frequent the bars and night clubs, the closure of dance floors and a capacity of up to 50% of the team by the institution to comply with the measures of distance physical.
Without waiting for the public announcement formal, the Corporation of the owners of bars, brasseries and taverns in Quebec (CPBBTQ) has accused, on Wednesday, the government of Quebec to have “lied” to the people of the industry who are struggling to recover from the consequences of the pandemic COVID-19.
“This government has lied to us since the very beginning of the crisis, promising us to respect our industry, we promise to help us financially, and especially to establish measures that are fair and equitable to all tenants in Quebec,” stated president and chief executive officer Renaud Poulin.
In a press release, Mr. Poulin has predicted that the measures that will be announced “will lead to hundreds of bar owners in to bankruptcy”.
While refusing to confirm the news, another source familiar with the situation told The canadian Press, under the cover of anonymity, that a meeting took place on Wednesday, between various representatives of the government and of the industry of the bars of Quebec, during which they would have been informed that the public health of Quebec had even considered downright close to the bars, before finally opting for the four measures, which are expected to be announced Thursday afternoon by the minister Dubé.
For its part, the founding president of the Association of the Bar of Quebec (NABQ), Pierre Thibault, recalled that the measures to deal with the pandemic have forced the closure of the bars last march 15. Some were only beginning to reopen their doors.
In an interview with The canadian Press Wednesday, he called for the intervention of the ministry of Economy and Innovation to support these businesses that have been closed by the measures of a health emergency.
“It is just impossible to tell entrepreneurs that we don’t help you. Whether in the aviation or the automotive sector, there is always help to compensate when there are crises, but when it is the bars, it is never taken seriously”, he lamented.
He said he was very disappointed that the owners of the bars are thus “abandoned” by the government, according to his words.
“I don’t know why the ministry of Economy and Innovation is also absent from our industry. However, the bar industry it is 2000 establishments in Quebec and 25 000 jobs,” he said while pointing out that the merchants he represents are not against public health measures, but that they want to help in the same way as any other industry which drives the economy in Quebec.
