Staggered start for Alta. restaurants

A food service industry spokesman says he expects a staggered start if restaurants in Alberta get the green light to reopen on Thursday.

Mark von Schellwitz, western vice-president for Restaurants Canada, says owners are crunching numbers to see if they can at least break even by opening at half capacity while still paying existing and new costs, retraining staff and adapting to health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.

“It’s like basically reopening a new business,” von Schellwitz said Tuesday.

“They’re going to operate on their own timeline ... that can range any time in the next week, (while) some may even take a couple of weeks to get fully open.”

An emergency committee with the provincial cabinet was to meet Tuesday night to officially decide whether reopening could take place as planned on Thursday.

Von Schellwitz said restauranteurs appreciate guidelines issued Monday by the province, but are seeking further information on health and safety rules and details on how, for example, mall food courts will operate versus stand-alone restaurants.

Restaurants, retailers, hair stylists and barbers, and daycares are among the businesses that would be allowed to resume services, as COVID19 case numbers and hospitalizations suggest Alberta has flattened the curve of infections.

Public gatherings are still limited to no more than 15 people.

Economic Development Minister Tanya Fir has said information and health guidelines are to be updated online as more businesses and sectors reopen.

For now, restaurants, bars, pubs and patios, would have to operate at half capacity with a minimum two-metre distance between tables.