Oakville restaurant loses liquor license over COVID-19 violations
Published December 10, 2021 at 12:12 pm
An Oakville restaurant supportive of notorious anti-vaxxer Chris Sky has lost its liquor licence after it was discovered it wasn’t checking for vaccine passports.
The Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced Friday that they immediately suspended the liquor licence of Zucchinis Cucina, located at 43 Kerr St., Unit 5 on Dec. 3.
AGCO said there are reasonable grounds to believe that Zucchinis Cucina will not carry on business in accordance with the law and consider the suspension “is necessary in the public interest.”
The Ontario government requires bars and restaurants to request proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, in accordance with the Reopening Ontario Act (ROA).
Local municipal authorities, AGCO says, had inspected the Italian restaurant several times in November and charged them with failing to comply with the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
“The AGCO has zero tolerance for licensed establishments that are not doing their part to keep their customers and staff safe by following public health rules and Ontario’s laws,” said Tom Mungham, Registrar and CEO, AGCO.
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“With COVID-19 cases on the rise and a new variant in circulation, it is more important than ever for staff and owners to check and verify the vaccine status of their customers. We will continue to take action to ensure that the alcohol sector is operating in accordance with the law and with honesty and integrity.”
Halton Region Health Department Inspectors discovered in a November inspection that the local restaurant was not requesting dine-in patrons’ proof of vaccine and corresponding identification.
The inspectors also said that “a person claiming to be a second owner directed threats and profanity against the inspectors and instructed them to leave.”
Town of Oakville Municipal Enforcement Services Officers went to the Kerr St. restaurant on Nov. 26 and observed a sign on the door welcoming all customers regardless of their vaccination status.
The officials said they spoke with the general manager of the restaurant and he confirmed they do not request dine-in patrons’ proof of vaccination.
On Dec. 2 an AGCO Compliance Official visited the Oakville restaurant and observed the same sign on the door welcoming all customers regardless of their vaccination status.
The sign was also consistent with posts made to Zucchinis Cucina’s social media channels.
“Just want to remind you that we accept EVERY and ANYONE in our establishment,” the restaurant’s Instagram post said. “We are non discriminative in anyways (sex, age, gender, race, creed. . . etc) and respect our fellow Canadians. Thank you all for the support.
“This not about being ‘anti-vaxx’/’pro-vaxx’ but indeed about being a patriot and citizen in our country!”
AGCO regularly conducts compliance activities at liquor licensed establishments across the province.
There are consequences for licence holders who do not meet the requirements under the LLCA, including the possibility of an Order of Monetary Penalty, an immediate suspension of the licence and/or a proposal to suspend or revoke the licence.
