Ottawa businesses are frustrated by the latest round of COVID-19 restrictions

Restaurants must limit the number of guests dining indoors to six per table and a maximum of 100, while at the same time keeping a distance of two meters between different groups.

“It’s frustrating because in Ottawa when we’m usually doing well the first finger is always on the restaurants,” said Dimitri Aramoni, owner and operator of three Mexican Rosa franchises.

“We take a lot of care, we clean often. And [medical officer of health Dr. Vera] Etches and Mayor Jim Watson have both been on record for the past few months, saying restaurants are following very good policies. “

Aramouni said the premier Doug Ford should call more customers with reservations for groups of 10 or 15 to cancel after the announcement. The new measures went into effect at midnight on Saturday.

“It will definitely hurt the business,” Aramouni said. “People coming out on a date night for two people or four people are not coming out now because they’re a little worried.”

Weddings have been canceled and rescheduled

The strict capacity limits of 50 people at event venues, including dinner venues and wedding venues, mean that Tony Jakoni is dealing with some anxious bride and groom.

Jackoni, owner of the Sala San Marco Event and Conference Center on Preston Street in Little Italy, said: “Our phone is being hooked off.

Jaconi said his income has already dropped by almost 90 percent. But he was able to stay afloat through restaurant sales and an odd wedding or corporate event – some of which have already been rescheduled since the beginning of this year.

After the announcement on Friday, Jaconi said he would be forced to cancel or change the order of two weddings that were to take place in different rooms at the same time next weekend.

“I have about 20,000 square feet, I have four different rooms there … we have a lot of space … it’s like a wedding in a warehouse,” Jaconi said. “But now there are 50 people for each facility, which does not mean that.”

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YMCA is reopening plans on the break

Gyms and fitness centers will also have to face new regulations – a maximum of 10 people per exercise class and 50 people at a time.

For large centers such as the YMCA-YWCA, that means postponing its reopening plans.

“We want to start doing more classes, we want to start attracting our wider audience. We want to start our own swimming pools,” said Mike Tait, vice president of health and fitness aquatics for the national capital. Area.

“It’s going to be a problem now,” he said.

Despite the frustration among business owners, some top public health officials want to see more drastic measures. Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto Health Medical Officer Asked the province to ban Complete with indoor dining.

De Villa’s counter in Ottawa agrees with the sanctions that they are sending a serious message.

“I encourage it to be in the right direction,” Etches said. “A combination of more clear messages about housing … and these actions of the province, I hope it sends that message that this is an important time. It’s time to do what we know is right.”