Quebec bar owners call on province to allow them to reopen to vaccinated patrons

MONTREAL – Quebec bar owners are calling on the government to allow them to reopen for patrons who have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Two associations representing bar owners wrote to Premier Francois Legault in a letter dated Thursday to say modifying the public health order that has closed bars since October would bring some much-needed reprieve for the hard-hit sector.

They also suggested that allowing partially vaccinated people access to bars would help encourage vaccine-hesitant Quebecers to get a shot.

Peter Sergakis, president of one of the groups that wrote to the premier, Union des tenanciers de bars du Quebec, said as more Quebecers become eligible to get vaccinated, bars will be able to slowly grow their clientele.

“I think it’ll be a great solution for everybody and we’ve got to open the bars and restaurants,” he said in an interview Friday. “We have to start somehow; we cannot stay closed any longer.”

Sergakis, who owns several bars and restaurants in the Montreal area, said the idea is to have patrons show proof of vaccination at the door.

“Any additional requirements public health wants, we will comply to those too,” Sergakis said. “We’re ready to do anything to secure the employees and secure our customers.”

As of Friday, about 35.7 per cent of adult Quebecers had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine; the province said it administered 63,145 doses in the past 24 hours. Also on Friday, Quebecers 50 to 59 became eligible to book a vaccination appointment. The government has said all adults will be able to book an appointment by mid-May.

Quebec reported 1,041 new COVID-19 cases Friday and 13 more deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus, including three in the past 24 hours. Health officials said hospitalizations dropped by 31, to 592, and 164 people were in intensive care, a drop of one.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 30, 2021.