‘We’re not out of the woods yet’: Some Hamilton businesses opt to keep proof of vaccination in place

A handful of Hamilton businesses say their patrons will still need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 - at least for now.

Tuesday marked the end of the province's mandatory proof of vaccination program - just 160 days after the pandemic mandate was rolled out across Ontario this past September.

At the time of the announcement, some Steeltown bars and restaurants told The Spectator they were beyond excited" to see restrictions relaxing for the industry and that they'd be following the province's lead.

But some establishments - such as bars, restaurants and theatres - have opted to keep the program in place - a move allowed under the province's reopening plan.

Derek Weening, owner of The Capitol Bar on King Street East, announced the business would be keeping the policy in place.

Weening said he'd planned on speaking to other business owners about their plans, instead his staff approached him about keeping the mandate in place.

I didn't need to have those conversations anymore," said Weening, noting that both he and staff also have vulnerable family members. It wasn't a tough decision at all. It's a no-brainer."

Safety of staff and patrons was a recurring theme for other Hamilton businesses making the same decision.

Rise Above Pizza and Wings and The Brain, both located on James Street North as well as The Casbah on King Street West also announced on social media that they would be keeping the policy in place.

It is our goal to ensure our crew, some with chronic health concerns, and guests are able to remain healthy," wrote Rise Above in an Instagram post. We sincerely apologize to those who may be frustrated by this, and we are optimistic that things will continue to improve."

Brodie Schwendiman, owner of The Casbah, told The Spectator they plan on keeping the policy in place for at least two more weeks, then will reassess.

Protecting their staff is at the top of list" of reasons why they've opted to hang onto the policy, he said.

My staff is not large, they work a lot and they're put in front of audiences almost nightly," said Schwendiman. To create the safest possible working environment for them, I feel that maintaining proof of vaccination is really important."

The Brain, in their post to Instagram, echoed a similar sentiment, noting the move would be temporary, with an expectation that it would be gone by April.

We know this may upset and frustrate some people and we are sorry for that," read the post.

The Westdale theatre will also require moviegoers to provide proof of vaccination until further notice, according to its website.

Back at The Capitol, Weening said the proof of vaccination policy has worked well for his business. When it was implemented back in September, there was a a palpable sigh of relief" among both staff and patrons - with some finally returning to the bar for the first time since early 2020.

Weening said he's also worried about the potential of more virulent variants in the future that could result in another lockdown.

I just don't want to jeopardize that comfort level," he added. I'm still a little bit uneasy about this. We're not out of the woods yet."

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com