Without Papers announces it will not comply with Calgary's new COVID-19 bylaw

Popular pizzeria defies COVID-19-related city orders

If you're even marginally tapped into the Calgary food scene, it's likely you've stumbled across Without Paper's relatively bizarre, cryptic Instagram post from Monday. While the majority of Canadian restaurants and bars are clamouring to uphold pandemic-related protocols to help us all reach the light at the end of the tunnel, there are a small percentage of businesses that do not hold similar values.

"We are open today, but unlike yesterday, the onus placed upon us to make a decision as to who is acceptable," reads the first line of their post. Late last night, the longstanding pizzeria in Inglewood shared a new post proclaiming that they will "not be in compliance of the City of Calgary Bylaw 65M2021" which was just announced yesterday after a 13-to-1 vote by city council.

Citing equality as their reason for not opting for either the provincial vaccination exemption program or the new city bylaw, it is shocking to say the least. Time will tell how Calgary's bylaw officers will deal with defiant businesses like Without Papers in terms of fines and other disciplinary actions.