Omicron fears force Canadian businesses to prepare for the worst — another lockdown

As regions across the world impose restrictions to limit the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, Canadian businesses are preparing for more restrictions at home.

Renaldo Agostino has gotten used to the roller coaster ride that is the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Windsor entrepreneur, owner of Turbo Espresso Bar and events company Element Entertainment, is familiar with the negative impacts lockdowns have on his businesses, and the benefits loosened restrictions bring.

But with the Omicron variant spreading in Canada, and with some jurisdictions moving to impose restrictions to limit its impact, Agostino is readying to ride another wave.

“When the highs are high, we’re going to be out there having fun, making money. When the lows are low, we’re going to watch our spending (and) shut everything down. … It’s been so long now that it’s no longer a question of, ‘What if?’” he told Global News.

“I already know what’s going to happen. … It’s not like I’m inexperienced in shutting down. … It’s so ingrained in how we do business these days, it’s almost the new normal.”

Cases of Omicron in Canada are rising, which has public health officials questioning whether to impose restrictions to limit community spread.

In Windsor, where Agostino’s businesses are, the public health unit re-introduced gathering restrictions last week and has ordered restaurants and bars to bring indoor capacity limits down again to 50 per cent.

In New Brunswick, officials are ordering entertainment venues like movie theatres and casinos to operate at 50 per cent capacity starting Friday. In Nova Scotia, also as of Friday, food and liquor-licensed businesses must have physical distancing between tables and a limit of 20 people per table.