Hamilton restaurant temporarily loses licence amid bylaw investigation
A central Hamilton restaurant had its business licence temporarily suspended after a city bylaw investigation resulted in numerous COVID-related charges.
Speaking to The Spectator on Thursday, director of licensing and bylaw services Monica Ciriello said Wingporium, located on Barton Street East, had its licence to operate as a food premise" suspended for three days starting on Oct. 19.
The temporary licence removal is set to expire on Friday, Ciriello added.
The Spectator reached out to the restaurant on both Wednesday and Thursday for comment but did not receive a response. A sign on the front door of the establishment said they were temporarily closed as of Wednesday afternoon, but did not provide a reason.
According to the city's online list for COVID-related enforcement, Wingporium was charged for vaccine verification violations under the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA) on Oct. 16.
As of Sept. 22, restaurants with indoor dining are required to ask patrons for proof of vaccination against COVID-19, along with a piece of identification, before allowing them to eat inside.
The eatery was also charged for allegedly failing to collect contact-tracing information from patrons, not conducting required screening of its employees or patrons, and masking violations.
Ciriello said bylaw officers attended the restaurant last week as a followup" visit from a previous stop at the restaurant on Sept. 19.
At that time, several charges were laid under the ROA including for allegedly not collecting contact-tracing information or conducting screenings, according to the city.
Ciriello said the restaurant was also given education and a warning to ensure they would come into compliance." But the business was then later flagged by provincial enforcement officers during an ROA compliance blitz.
They had made a note to us to do followup as, when they were there, they didn't see compliance," she said, noting the city often works with its provincial counterparts. That prompted us to go back last weekend and again, there were still COVID violations."
Wingporium's licence was then temporarily suspended on Tuesday.
Ciriello said moving forward, she's hopeful the business will have a better understanding of the requirements" that apply to the restaurant.
How COVID enforcement works
Each week, the city updates its COVID enforcement page with new charges at a range of businesses. Often there will be restaurants, hair salons, pizza places and retailers - all of them facing some kind of fine related to the pandemic.
Ciriello said businesses that end up on the list have been visited by bylaw officers, either due to a complaint or on a proactive" enforcement basis. That could mean officers were nearby or that the department was conducting an internal blitz" on a specific area of the city or industry, she added.
When officers attend a business, Ciriello said they have a COVID enforcement checklist which varies based on the industry. That list could include required screening, signage, enforcement of vaccine verification and face coverings.
Ciriello said bylaw starts with progressive enforcement and provides education to businesses that may not be following the rules. Each response depends on time since the rule came into place or what bylaw officers have found during their investigation, she added.
But if there is a flagrant disregard" for the regulations, Ciriello said a charge could then be laid.
Fallon Hewitt is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: fhewitt@thespec.com