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Toronto movie theatres will not reopen when COVID-19 restrictions ease

Cineplex Toronto theatres

Multiplex movie theatres in Toronto, Peel Region, York Region and Ottawa will not open anytime soon, despite being allowed to do so under the province’s COVID-19 early warning system.

According to executive director of communications Sarah Van Lange, Cineplex cinemas will remain closed in Toronto for the foreseeable future.

The country’s largest movie theatre chain will also close its Galaxy Cinemas Cornwall on Saturday when Eastern Ontario rolls back into the “orange” level.

“From a financial perspective, the capacity limitation the Ontario Government has put in place for cinemas ostensibly forces the temporary closure of all our locations in the affected areas,” said Van Lange in an email to NOW.

The government’s new early warning system to curb COVID-19 spread will limit theatres in hotspot regions like Toronto to 50 people per building, instead of per screen.

The province introduced five colour-coded levels: Prevent (green), Protect (yellow), Restrict (orange), Control (red) and Lockdown, described in a news release as “a measure of last and urgent resort.”

Premier Doug Ford said earlier this week that Toronto will switch from it’s modified Stage 2 restrictions to the new orange level on November 14. Peel and York will turn orange on November 7.

Movie Theatre Association of Canada executive director Nuria Bronfman calls the level orange restrictions a “shutdown by another name.”

In a statement, Bronfman reiterates that the “50 people per building” capacity limit is not economically viable for multiplexes.

When the Ontario government’s initial Stage 3 rules applied the same restriction, Cineplex theatres held back re-openings until the capacity limits were modified to “50 people per auditorium.”

Under the new system, cinemas in jurisdictions that are in the yellow or green levels can still have 50 people indoors per auditorium.

When reached for comment, a representative from the Ontario government reiterated that the previous exception has been rescinded and cinemas in Toronto and other restricted areas are limited to “50 patrons in the entire facility.”

“Cinemas have faithfully operated under the approved plan and they have delivered,” says Bronfman. She points out that there have been zero outbreaks linked to cinemas in Ontario.

Movie theatres have been operating under very strict guidelines, parsing seats out in pairs that are strategically spread out.

A document from the National Association of Theatre Owners in the U.S. argues that movie theatres are safer than restaurants and churches because patrons are seated, silent and typically in auditoriums with high-ceilings and individual HVAC units for ventilation.

“[The] government has disregarded all available evidence about the success of movie theatres in controlling their environments during the pandemic,” says Bronfman, expressing the industry’s disappointment.

The new restrictions is a blow for distributors of award-season contenders that were planning to open in Toronto this month.

The romantic drama Ammonite starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan and the bromantic comedy The Climb are scheduled to open November 13, with Deepa Mehta’s Funny Boy following close behind on November 20.

@justsayrad

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