Some Rural Alberta Restaurants Face Backlash From Restriction Waiver Program | The Canadian News

As much of the province’s hospitality industry attempts to implement the Alberta government’s restriction waiver program, some rural restaurants are being hit hard.

Not only are they facing open criticism and harassment, but sales have taken a hit as well.

Jen Frick is one of several people who stopped for lunch at Cilantro and Chive in Lacombe and needed to show their COVID-19 vaccination registration card and ID to enter.

The restaurant is one of several rural Alberta businesses that implement the provincial government’s restriction waiver program.

“During the last few days, I have shown it in three different places. I captured it on my phone, take out my ID. It’s not a big deal, ”Frick said.

But not everyone sees it that way.

“We’ve had a couple incidents at the gate, just making sure we’re checking the IDs, and unfortunately, we couldn’t take care of them,” said Cilantro and Chive co-owner Rieley Key.

Kay said the backlash from implementing this program hasn’t stopped there.

“The most negative feedback we have received has been online, by phone or by mail. These are people who don’t walk through our doors, ”Kay said.

The president of the Alberta Hospitality Association said negative comments have been pouring in from across the province, but it appears more are showing up in rural areas.

“Some have been receiving pretty severe harassment from guests who feel that it is the restaurants that have implemented this program when the government has ordered it,” said AHA President Ernie Tsu.

Kay said a lot of people just don’t get it.

“[We have] A lot of people call, ask us what we are doing, how we are doing it and try to better understand exactly what the requirements are, ”said Kay.

Kay said the overall impact on the business has been crushing.

He said sales at his Lacombe restaurant were down 40 percent and 55 percent at his Red Deer location.

“It’s tough. It’s tough on morale. It’s tough on our psyche,” Kay said.

Kay said she wants people to know that they are doing this to keep clients and staff safe, a position Frick understands and hopes others will as well.

“Be nice to the people in the service industry who are enforcing the restrictions and be nice to your healthcare workers. They’ve dealt with a lot of things over the past two years, and we really need to support them, ”Frick said.