Peel Region BIA Letter RE: Advocating for Red Zone Changes for Restaurants

March 11, 2021

Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
Hon. Christine Elliot, Minister of Health
Hon. Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of the City of Mississauga
Hon. Patrick Brown, Mayor of the City of Brampton
Hon. Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business & Red Tape Reduction
Hon. Rudy Cuzzeto, MPP Mississauga – Lakeshore
Hon. Kaleed Rasheed, MPP Mississauga – East
Hon. Nina Tangri, MPP Mississauga – Streetsville
Dr. David Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Health
Dr. Lawrence Loh, Minister of Health

RE: Advocating For Two Changes To The Red Zone Policy For Restaurants

Dear Premier, Ministers, and Chief Medical Officers of Health,

On behalf of Peel Region’s Main Street Small Businesses, we write to collectively voice our concerns
over the Red Zone policies for restaurants in our region and advocate for two changes. Our
restaurant owners have proven their value, contribution, and commitment to providing a high level
of safety to customers, staff and the public who enter their establishments.

1. Amend the limit of 10 customers to 25%+ of liquor licence capacity which is the same
percentage that retail is allowed.

A limit of 10 customers is a one size fits all solution which is inequitable. This limits a 1000 square
foot restaurant to the same capacity as a 10,000+ square foot restaurant. After analyzing the data
and taking into consideration the experience of our business members operating a restaurant in this
pandemic, we believe that this policy can be amended to 25%+ of liquor capacity and still keep
customers, staff and the public responsibly safe. Many restaurants have larger capacities and can
safely accommodate more than 10 people in their establishments because restaurants are
professional, highly regulated, and follow all safety protocols put in place by our government and
health officials. This echoes the statements made by Mayor Bonnie Crombie, Mayor Patrick Brown,
and Doctor Lawrence Loh who all stated on record that there have been zero cases of the virus
transmitted in Peel Region restaurants in summer and fall 2020, when restaurants had patios open
and up to 50 guests dining indoors.

2. Amend last call operating hours from 9:00 pm back to 11:00 pm, replicating the policy
guidelines that were put in place summer 2020.

A last call time of 9:00 pm not only sacrifices a lot of sales during the prime time for restaurants but
can also have a ripple effect and negative impact on the possible spread of Covid-19. In our
experience, a 9:00 pm last call time is too early for many customers as it gives them very little to no
time for finishing their meals and beverages. As a result, those customers often continue their
evening of entertainment at another person’s home where there may not be safety protocols in
place, leading to a possible spread of the virus. Alternatively, an 11:00 pm last call operating time is
late enough for dining customers to finish their meals and beverages and then go home to
sleep/unwind without more entertainment. In our expertise, an 11:00 pm last call closing time is
early enough to deter the late-night bar scene which is the busiest time and typically takes place
between 11:00pm to 2:00 am. We strongly believe that 11:00 pm last call time is the sweet spot for
keeping the public most safe in the Red Zone.

Our members have proven their commitment to providing the highest level of safety to customers,
staff, and the public in their establishments. Please consider these two changes to the Red Zone
policy and help assist in the survival of our restaurants in the Region of Peel.
Sincerely,

______________________
JAKE PEDLER
Chair, Port Credit BIA
______________________
NATASHA MACKINNON
Operations Manager, Port
Credit BIA
______________________
DIANNE DELA CRUZ
Business Development
Manager, Port Credit BIA
______________________
KRISTINA ROMASCO
Chair, Downtown Brampton
BIA
______________________
SUZY GODEFROY
Executive Director, Downtown
Brampton BIA
______________________
JAMIE BAY
Chair, Clarkson Village BIA
______________________
NADIA RICHARD
Manager, Clarkson Village BIA
______________________
STEVEN SMITH
Chair, Cooksville BIA
______________________
SOHINI RANA
Executive Director, Cooksville
BIA
______________________
TODD LADNER
Chair, Streetsville BIA
______________________
AMBER PAJTASZ
General Manager, Streetsville
BIA