New COVID-19 restrictions start today at Toronto bars and restaurants

New restrictions take effect at bars and restaurants in the city today, to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

The measures were introduced by the city’s medical officer of health, Dr. Eileen de Villa, and passed unanimously in council last week.

Under the new restrictions, the maximum capacity at bars and restaurants will now be 75 people, down from 100 earlier.

Only six people can sit at a table together — that’s down from the previous 10 people — and establishments must keep a customer log for each patron, not just one person from the table.

Mayor John Tory said these actions are to avoid “crowd scenes.”

“Ten isn’t a very big crowd but it’s bigger than six, and if you have six opposed to 10 it just lessens the chance that there’s going to be somebody at that table that’s going to have the virus,” he explained.

Background music and other background sounds, including televisions can be no louder than the volume of normal conversation.

“When there’s loud music you lean in closer to the person you’re sitting next to if you want to talk, you talk louder, and those things, as much as it might sound far fetched, contribute to the spread of the virus,” Tory explained.

After the bill passed at council, Tory called it a tough decision but said it’s one that has to be balanced to keep people healthy and maintain economic stability.

“We’re doing what we believe is right. We are recommending what we believe is right. All of these things fit into that category,” Tory said.

“We’re certainly only doing it after a very careful assessment done daily about the consequences these types of things have, because they do have consequences.”

To help mitigate the impact of the new bylaws, council also approved a motion from Tory, to explore ways the city can continue to operate patios through the winter.