Restaurants, bars, community centres to reopen in Manitoba next week

By Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press

WINNIPEG – Bars, dine-in restaurants, gyms, pools and other facilities across Manitoba will be allowed to reopen starting Monday as the province eases more restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Community centres, seniors clubs and tattoo parlours are also getting the go-ahead. In all cases, there will be limits on customer capacity and rules for physical distancing.

“While we can take pride in the progress we’ve made … I emphasize we must remain vigilant,” Premier Brian Pallister said Wednesday.

“We do not want a COVID comeback in this province.”

Manitoba has had 292 cases since the pandemic began and seven deaths. There have only been three new instances in the last two weeks and the number of cases still active has dropped to 16.

In its first reopening phase on May 4, the Progressive Conservative government allowed many services, including non-essential retail stores, restaurant patios and museums, to resume.

The second phase announced Wednesday is much broader. Restaurants and bars will be allowed to serve people indoors, but only at half capacity. Common areas such as dance floors and dart boards will remain off-limits.

Elementary and high schools stopped in-class instruction in March and will not reopen this school year. But they will be allowed as of Monday to offer tutoring or student assessments in small groups. Some extracurricular sports and other activities can restart.

At universities and colleges, some specific instruction such as labs and arts studios can resume for up to 25 students and staff at a time.

Some activities remain forbidden. Movie theatres and casinos must remain closed. Concerts, professional sporting events and other large public gatherings won’t be considered until at least September, the government said.

A limit on public gatherings remains at 25 people for indoor events and 50 in the outdoors.

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