Some N.S. business owners pushing province to remove remaining COVID-19 restrictions

Nova Scotia moved to Phase 1 of its reopening plan Monday, however, some business owners are pushing for the province to remove the remaining restrictions sooner rather than later.

Businesses will be allowed to operate at full capacity, with no social distancing, in Phase 3 of Nova Scotia’s reopening plan. However, Louis-Philippe Gauthier, the senior director of legislative affairs with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, says that is not soon enough for some of the 3,900 businesses under his organization’s umbrella.

“Our most recent data clearly indicates that our members want to see capacity restrictions eliminated as soon as possible,” says Gauthier.

According to Gauthier, that number is as high as 63 per cent, with 66 per cent of members also supporting keeping the mask mandate in place for now.

“Keeping them under capacity restrictions is not helpful at this time, especially when the light at the end of the tunnel is only potentially a month away,” says Gauthier.

Dr. Lisa Barrett, an infectious disease specialist, believes the cautious approach is the right approach.

“We have to recognize that the pandemic is not done,” she says.

“This is a playback plan. We watched other provinces go more quickly before and then they had to step back as they watched many cases rise, many deaths happen.”

As much as some businesses want the limits removed, some members of the public are comfortable with the province's three-stage approach.

“It’s science-based, which is how it has to be and I certainly support what’s been going on since the very beginning,” says Halifax resident Bruce MacCullough.

There could be drawbacks to a quicker reopening; a shortage of labour and supplies could affect a business' ability to operate at full capacity. However, after more than two years of dealing with the pandemic, Gauthier says he's confident business owners would find a way to make it work.