In-person dining resumes in Halifax-area restaurants

HALIFAX – Restaurants and licensed establishments in the Halifax region can reopen for in-person dining Monday.

Nova Scotia health authorities announced the change on New Year’s Eve, saying patrons can dine in as long as service stops at 10 p.m. and establishments close at 11 p.m.

Health officials shut down dine-in service in restaurants and bars across the Halifax Regional Municipality and parts of Hants County on Nov. 26, as they scrambled to contain community spread of COVID-19 in the area.

Get weekly health news

Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.

Sign up for weekly health newsletter Get Started

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

After extending the measures in early December, officials said they expected to reopen dining rooms on Jan. 11.

1:50 Many N.S. businesses say they were caught off guard by the new COVID-19 restrictions

The Department of Health says low case numbers over the holidays meant they could ease restrictions a week early.

Nova Scotia reported 13 new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, with 27 active infections across the province.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2021.