Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton and Ontario movie theatres will be allowed to sell popcorn next week
Published January 27, 2022 at 6:25 pm
Here is news to “Scream” about, and maybe “Sing 2” as well: movie theatres in Mississauga, Brampton, Hamilton and Ontario will be allowed to sell popcorn when they reopen on Monday.
Multiple reports today (Jan. 27) indicated that the Ford government will push up the timeline for letting theatres sell the buttery treat. The initial re-opening plan said popcorn, long the cornerstone of every cinephile’s craving, would be banned in cinemas for at least three weeks.
Concession sales can comprise 50 per cent of a movie theatre’s revenue. In Hamilton, The Playhouse independent cinema has been holding weekly ‘popcorn pickup’ sales in order to bring in some revenue while they are unable to admit patrons.
Theatres were shuttered on Jan. 5, when the province tightened restrictions amid a surge in cases, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths related to the Omicron variant-driven fifth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Ontario PC Party government and Dr. Kieran Moore, the chief medical officer of health, called a “modified Stage 2 reopening.” The plan to reopen in phases was announced last week, with the first stage scheduled to last until Feb. 21.
However, the pattern of the PCs and Premier Doug Ford has to be reopen further before the 21 days have passed.
Ontario has had 1,036 reported COVID-19 related deaths this month, making it the province’s deadliest month of the pandemic since the previous January. Ontario had 3,645 people hospitalized with COVID-19 as of this morning, which was 371 fewer than the previous day. Nearly half, or 48.94 per cent, were either unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.
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There were 599 patients in intensive care units (ICUs), nine fewer than on Wednesday. Some 63.11 per cent were unvaccinated, partially vaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status
Along with movie theatres, meeting rooms and event spaces will be able to operate with 50 per cent capacity as of Jan. 31. Other indoor settings such as bars, bars, retailers, museums, and religious services be subject to the same capacity cap.
Spectators will once again return to sporting events and concert venues at 50 per cent capacity or 500 people, whichever is less. As for social gathering, limits of 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors will remain in place.
The news about the popcorn policy was first reported by CTV News Toronto and CHCH-TV in Hamilton.
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