Hamilton restaurant that refused to enforce vaccine passport files for bankruptcy
CBC
Nique, a downtown Hamilton restaurant that months ago publicly announced it would not enforce proof-of-vaccination rules has filed for bankruptcy.
Documents obtained by CBC Hamilton show a debtor declared Nique had $11,000 in assets and $395,257 in liabilities or debt.
The restaurant's first meeting with creditors was on Jan. 21, according to the documents.
When asked about the bankruptcy, Nique owner Harrison Hennick told CBC Hamilton: "This is not a news story ... I don't regret a single thing."
He told the Hamilton Spectator the business was "lucrative" last year, but the debt was "completely insurmountable."
In late September, Ontario started requiring people to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 and matching identification to enter businesses such as bars, casinos, gyms, restaurants, sports arenas and theatres.
Most businesses followed those rules but some, like Nique, refused to do so. The city began to issue fines to businesses that were not complying in early October.
"I believe our human rights laws supersede anything our government is trying to do," Hennick told CBC Hamilton in September.
The decision led to some support from people who said they would continue to eat there. Others criticized Hennick's approach, which led to what he called an "outburst" on social media.
"I'm embarrassed about the things that I said to individuals, but I'm not embarrassed about my position on human rights," Hennick wrote.
In late September, the Ministry of Labour launched an investigation into the restaurant and ended up issuing an order, but it was unrelated to COVID-19 protocols.
A short time later, Nique closed temporarily after some workers quit because their family members reportedly "didn't feel safe" around them while they worked at the downtown restaurant.
Hennick also said it closed on advice from legal counsel, the increased attention the restaurant received and renovations to the restaurant's bar.
Almost a week later, news broke the restaurant was put up for sale for $288,000.
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