Quebec’s event industry hoping pandemic restrictions disallowing large gatherings will be eased by spring
Posted February 24, 2021 1:52 pm.
Last Updated February 24, 2021 7:51 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MONTREAL – Some working in Quebec’s events industry are hoping you can pull out your best party attire in the next couple of months and safely attend weddings or birthdays.
Social gatherings in Quebec have been off since the end of September due to the second wave of COVID-19.
“We understand there’s a crisis… COVID-19 is the same in other countries, other countries are reopening right – safe plan, safe restrictions. I don’t know why we shouldn’t be able to have any plan from them,” said Sue-Ellen Cotter, an event planner.
“We need urgently a gradual reopening plan as of spring.”
#WATCH: Several in the events industry are calling on the province to work with them on a plan to gradually reopen starting in the spring. Events planner Sue-Ellen Cotter says they understand there’s a crisis, but they’ve been left in the dark for almost a year. @CityNewsMTL pic.twitter.com/V90WI022LT
— Alyssia (@rubertuccinews) February 24, 2021
Cotter says it’s been difficult not knowing the next steps, which makes guiding her clients who’ve been waiting to get married particularly challenging.
“They don’t know if they should postpone again, they don’t know if they should cancel, they don’t know if they should do it no matter what [with] a possible, safe plan. So, basically, since [last] year, we don’t know how to manage those clients.”
Activities and events represent just 2.7 per cent of total outbreaks in Quebec.
‘’For those of us who own small businesses, we sort of feel like secondary, or our lives are not important,” said Michael Ashby, a spokesperson for Entrepreneurs en action du Quebec.
Like events, restaurant dining rooms and gyms have been shut down for almost five months in the province’s red zones.
A social media post from business owners part of Entrepreneurs en action du Quebec is demanding answers from the Francois Legault government.
They say they’re taking legal action against the province after public health recently unveiled written opinions advising to keep restaurants open in September.
“None of us here don’t care about public safety,” said Ashby. “None of us are saying ‘we don’t care about those people, we just want to make our money.’ What we’re saying is that we can open these businesses safely and Dr. (Horacio) Arruda believes we can, the data says we can so give us a shot.”
Added epidemiologist and cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos: “Any time you have people gathered, there is a risk of someone getting sick. You can minimize that, but you can never reduce to zero.
“There are no firm guarantees.”
Cotter says she wants to work with public health on ensuring events are as safe as possible.
“We need to find solutions for our industry, to reorganize our business, for our clients, and to hire thousands of jobs again, for all Quebec citizens to celebrate moments that will never come back,” she said.
