Ontario Premier Doug Ford - Covid - Nov 30, 2020 - email by Randall F. More

emailed Nov 30, 2020 Ontario Government – Covid Controls

Dear Premier Ford, Premier of Ontario

Upon dining in a local restaurant last week, I find that the owner of the restaurant is only permitted to have 10 patrons in the premises at any one time. The owner had closed off 75% of the eating area and half the restrooms. Such a limiting and extreme by-law does little to accomplish any reasonable objective. The same social distancing could be accomplished by opening the entire space while permitting more patrons.

Another restaurant owner permitted the 10 allowable patrons to use the entire 1875 sq ft dining area which has a normal capacity of 220 persons. (Therefore, the normal spatial requirement for this restaurant is 8.5 sq ft per person whereas during Covid it is 188 sq ft per person or 2200% compared to normal. The limit of 10 patrons represents a minimal usage of only 4.5% of normal capacity.)

I do not intend any impertinence but I do not believe this to be reasonable by almost any standard. Would it not be more reasonable during Covid to provide a patron limit predicated on the dining area... say 40 to 50% of the normal capacity... and using the entire dining area?

The present Covid policy is a serious detriment to the owner, the staff, the patrons, and ultimately even the government... without really solving the root problem.

Further, since the by-law is so very restrictive, it necessarily means that many more people are now having to eat all or most of their meals in their own homes resulting in more and longer efforts for grocery shopping which then clogs grocery stores with shoppers which further threatens Covid control.

What is also difficult to understand is that major retailers such as Walmart, Costco, Home Depot, and others are permitted virtually, or practically, unlimited patronage while small stores serving the same needs are either closed or near closure.

I recognize that all issues are complicated but I do not believe that the present controls represent a constructive, fair, or balanced approach to Covid. I and others trust that you will review and revise.

Your comments are most welcome.

Thank you.

Randall F. More, P. Eng.