Some Vancouver bars and restaurants have had to be reminded that the closure of dine-in operations due to the coronavirus pandemic means patios also have to be closed to guests.
The City of Vancouver said bylaw officers visited 600 food service businesses Saturday to ensure they were complying with both municipal and provincial guidelines to shift to take-out or delivery only.
Of those, 10 were found to be violating the orders — most of them seemingly unaware that closing patios was also part of the deal.
“The vast majority of non-compliant locations were unaware that the order included outside dining at facilities,” a city spokesperson said in an email.
Those businesses were given a warning and bylaw officers educated the owners and staff on the guidelines. The spokesperson would not give the names of those locations.
On Friday, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart and provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry both issued directives to bars and restaurants to stop seating diners and to only allow take-out and delivery.
Any restaurants that cannot shift to that new model must close altogether, Henry said. Stewart said any business that fails to comply could face prosecution.
On Sunday, the province said restaurants can also deliver liquor products along with food and servers who have found themselves unemployed by the orders can make those deliveries.
The measures are one of several being ordered to ensure people are practicing social distancing guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
People should stay at least two metres apart at all times as much as possible, Henry has repeated.