Edmonton Independent Hospitality Community calls for government supported fire-breaker restrictions

EIHC seeks immediate action to support hospitality while preventing healthcare system collapse

by Daniel Ball

This week, the Edmonton Independent Hospitality Community (EIHC) issued an immediate call to action to key members of the Alberta government to address the ongoing surge of COVID-19 cases and the critical impact it’s having on the province’s healthcare system.

With many Alberta ICUs currently filled to capacity and the province regularly recording a record-breaking number of patients, the Edmonton-based hospitality coalition’s request for immediate action to slow the spread of COVID-19 echoes that of many intensive-care hospital workers throughout the province.

In addition to an immediate four-week fire-breaker restriction of all non-essential businesses–including indoor dining, entertainment venues and arenas, nightclubs, and shopping malls–the coalition is seeking a revenue replacement grant matching 80 per cent of any affected businesses’ revenue for their highest revenue month since 2019, as well as government mandated vaccine passports for all non-essential businesses.

“We are frustrated that it has come to this. We do not take this call to action lightly. We know that another unsupported round of restrictions will lead to the closure of many businesses and the loss of livelihoods for thousands of operators and workers,” the coalition explains in its open letter to the government. 

“We also know that not implementing harsher measures at this time will lead to catastrophic consequences for the healthcare system which affects us all as Albertans whether we are vaccinated or not.”

The EIHC coalition is comprised of multiple independent Edmonton-based hospitality operators and is backed by the support of more than 50 establishments throughout the city. More information about the coalition and how to support its causes can be found online.

More from Eat North

Top Content