Ontario has lifted capacity limits, but some businesses in Thunder Bay are holding back

Ontario has eased pandemic restrictions, but some Thunder Bay businesses won't be at full capacity due to a shortage of staff.

The province lifted capacity limits in most settings — including at restaurants, bars, recreational facilities, casinos, and indoor event spaces — as of 12:01 a.m. E Monday.

However, Jim Comuzzi, owner of Rooster's Bistro, said the changes won't mean the north-core restaurant will start "cramming people in" immediately.

"We have found a real nice balance in the amount of tables that we have, as opposed to the amount of tables that we did have prior to the pandemic," Comuzzi said in an interview on Monday.

He said Roosters went from 21 tables pre-pandemic to 13 currently.

"I think that that's the way that we're going to do in the future," he said. "We've kind of revamped our business slightly, and we can handle these customers comfortably and with better service than we can with cramming them in and making people wait for things."

Staffing, however, is a concern.

"People have asked us why we don't open earlier and stay later," he said. "The staffing issue is the reason why."

"It's been really difficult to get the staff in order to fill the hours that we are open, and everybody seems to be having that shortage. It's even a shortage in our supply chain where where people aren't manufacturing the same amount because they don't have the the the staff in order to to produce the products that we're required to buy."

Staffing is also proving to be an issue at Thunder Bay's Serenity Salon and Wellness, which doesn't have the staff to increase capacity.

"Through this pandemic and the last big shutdown, we had a lot of staff members, not just in my business, but other businesses, who decided to go back to school online," salon owner Tony Muia said. "The staff is just not there, so it doesn't make a difference for us, unfortunately."

Muia said he's heard similar stories from other salon owners.

"Every salon I've spoken to has lost at least a quarter of their staff to other businesses, unfortunately," he said. "It's really hit our industry across Ontario in a catastrophic way as far as employees."

The province hasn't been forthcoming with support for salons, despite them being shut down for long periods during the pandemic, he said.