NOTE THIS IS ONLY FOR BRANCHES IN THE PHASE 2 AREAS. Some Districts such as A, D and E – still have SOME branches in STAGE 1 – AND THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW WOULD NOT APPLY).

It’s wonderful to see the numerous questions being put forward by branches through their District Commanders! And we have been garnering as much correct information as possible to share with you.

1. We have received confirmation from the AGCO that if your branch has a liquor licence, the temporary extension provision would apply, provided they meet all other requirements.

There is an Information Bulletin on the AGCO website but here is a portion of the information for your easy reference:

The Government has amended Regulation 719 under the Liquor Licence Act (LLA) to provide flexibility for liquor sales licensees (e.g. licensed bars and restaurants) to temporarily extend their physical premises beyond 14 days provided they have municipal approval and meet the criteria below.

Once they are again permitted to welcome patrons on-site and until January 1, 2021 at 3:00 a.m., liquor sales licensees who wish to temporarily extend the physical size of their existing licensed patio or to temporarily add a new licensed patio within the approved period, are authorized to do so, if the following criteria are met:

1. The physical extension of the premises is adjacent to the premises to which the licence to sell liquor applies;
2. The municipality in which the premises is situated has indicated it does not object to an extension;
3. The licensee is able to demonstrate sufficient control over the physical extension of the premises;
4. There is no condition on the liquor sales licence prohibiting a patio; and,
5. The capacity of any new patio, or extended patio space where the licensee has an existing licensed patio, does not exceed 1.11 square metres per person.

To minimize administrative burden for licensees, those who meet the above criteria are not required to apply to the AGCO or pay a fee to temporarily extend their patio or add a temporary new licensed patio.

Licensees are not required to submit any documentation to the AGCO to demonstrate compliance with the above criteria. However, licensees are required to produce such documentation, if requested by the AGCO.

Licensees that do not meet the above criteria are required to follow the usual application process for a temporary extension of premises and apply through iAGCO. In addition, licensees who wish to maintain the patio extension beyond January 1, 2021, must apply for a permanent modification through iAGCO and must meet all applicable requirements

2. We are awaiting confirmation from PIB and AVIVA – whether or not you must inform them that you are no longer VACANT but will be opening your patio and therefore most likely will be using the office, perhaps the kitchen and bar area for the bar tender only. We do not want any coverage denied should something happen to an employee, volunteer, Legionnaire or guest and AVIVA takes a stance that they were NOT notified.

3. Branches will need to familiarize themselves with the Workplace Safety and Prevention Service for Office Administration, Kitchen Staff, Bar Staff, Cleaning and Disinfecting areas such as counter tops, chairs, table tops, handling of dishware, glassware, bottles, countertops, debit machines, handling of cash, bathrooms including toilets, sinks, door handles, possible PPE and hand sanitizer availability – most of which can be found under www.ontario.ca

4. Furthermore, prior to opening the Branch Executive should make a decision based on the viability of the branch to open immediately. If you have a small patio and people from separate homes need to stay 2 metres (6 ft) apart and room is required for a server to also maintain that distance from table to table – is it financially feasible to have a bartender, a server to the patio, a cleaner disinfecting/wiping all areas down, someone cooking in the kitchen or bbq on the patio, the utilities back on, etc. based on the amount of Legionnaires you can serve (income vs. expense) at this particular moment.

5. Attached are several important documents/information to consider and posters you may wish place in and around your branch patios/premises.

• A Framework for Reopening our Province
   
• Physical Distancing
   
• Cleaning and Disinfection for Public Settings
   
• COVID-19 Pandemic Preparedness Toolkit for Ontario Businesses
   
• Restaurant and Food Service: Guidance for Health and Safety
   
• Guidance on Health and Safety for Office Administration and Secretarial Staff during COVID-19
   
• Guidance on Health and Safety For Restaurant Servers, Cooks and Dishwashers during COVID-19

Visit www.ontario.ca/ppe to review a list of companies that sell personal protective equipment (PPE).

We, as always, endeavour to assist branches as they economically try to recover while maintaining absolute safety of Veterans, friends, families and patrons of the Royal Canadian Legion Branches in Ontario. We will share as much information with you as possible in order to attempt to make the best informed decision for your individual branches.