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Toronto movie theatres will require proof of COVID vaccination in March

The government of Ontario is lifting its vaccination requirements for movie theatres and sporting events as of March 1, but the Revue Cinema would like to exercise a little more caution.

The Roncesvalles rep theatre tweeted today that it will continue to require proof of vaccination for entry to all screenings and events through April 4. (Masking guidelines will remain in place at both venues.)

“We understand that many filmgoers have bought advance tickets to our upcoming screenings under the assumption that proof of vaccination would still be required, and we want to honour that commitment to our ticket buyers,” the statement read.

It’s the first movie theatre in Ontario to declare it won’t be lifting vaccination requirements when the province officially drops them March 1.

Before you rush to the comments section, private businesses have every right to demand proof of vaccination from patrons in the absence of a provincial health order; TIFF made proof of vaccination a condition of entry to the 2021 film festival weeks before Ontario instituted official vaccine passports.

“We were getting lots of e-mails, lots of phone calls, lots of people coming to the theatre asking what was going to happen if they need to refund their tickets,” says Revue programming director Serena Whitney, explaining that some audience members might be uncomfortable returning to full-capacity screenings without the reassurance of everyone being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

In the end, the theatre’s board chose to take their time lifting the vaccination requirement. “We noticed every time the government does say you can do something, we always take the time [to think it through],” Whitney says. “When we were able to go to full capacity in October, [the province] gave us about seven hours’ notice. We decided to keep everything at 50 percent for the next month, for the same reason: people bought tickets thinking their screening was going to be at 50 percent [capacity]. We think that the slow-and-steady approach is always best for this situation.”

The Fox Theatre’s Daniel Demois confirmed that the Beach screen will also require proof of vaccination at least for March. “[We] will take it a month at a time [going forward],” he adds.

National exhibitor Cineplex has yet to announce a policy on masking mandates in the wake of Ontario’s announcement. “The health and safety of our employees and guests remains our top priority and, as always, we will continue to follow guidelines set forth by all levels of government,” says communications manager Samantha Shecter.

“I’m surprised – and really touched – by all the support we’re getting from the community and the industry,” Whitney says. “We don’t set out to be the first to do things like this. And honestly, if it helps other businesses feel safe to do the same thing, that’s all that matters.”

Spokespeople for TIFF Bell Lightbox and Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema had yet to respond at press time, but we’ll update this article if and when they do.

UPDATE: Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema has responded with a statement: “The safety of our audiences, staff, and volunteers is our priority. We continue to follow Ontario’s public health guidance as we welcome guests back. In keeping in line with these recommendations, we will drop proof of vaccination requirements on March 1st, in step with the rest of the province. We will keep the vaccination policy in place for previously-announced screenings and events taking place after March 1, including the Curious Minds Speaker Series. [Masking] requirements will remain in place while we continue monitoring the situation and reopening with cautious optimism.”

@normwilner

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