Quebec to compensate movie cinema owners

Quebec will compensate cinema owners for lost concession stand revenue, Premier François Legault said Thursday, following a disagreement that he dubbed “Popcorngate.” The province has said theatres can reopen Feb. 26 but cannot sell food, to ensure people wear masks. Legault said the owner of the Guzzo Cinemas chain had threatened to stay closed because of the difficulty turning a profit without selling snacks. “Public Health is telling us that ... if you want people to keep their masks during the movie, of course, you cannot sell popcorn,” Legault said, explaining he’ll compensate owners for concession stand losses because he wants theatres to stay open. A notice posted on the website for Cinemas Guzzo suggested the chain was preparing to reopen Feb. 26.