WITH the Super Bowl taking place this Sunday (February 7), B.C. Liberal Critic for Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation Todd Stone is calling on Premier John Horgan and the NDP to provide clarity now on any additional game day restrictions being considered for the hospitality sector in order to avoid another last-minute blow to restaurants and pubs.

“Many restaurants and pubs are barely hanging on and cannot afford another surprise rule change like what happened on New Year’s Eve,” said Stone. “The annual Super Bowl is one of the biggest annual events for these establishments, but owners are already worried they will be blindsided by the government again after buying advertising, ordering extra inventory and scheduling additional staff.”

The BC Liberals pointed out that the NDP government dealt a blow to restaurants with 24-hours’ notice of additional liquor restrictions on New Year’s Eve with zero consultation, leaving business owners scrambling and having no choice but to grapple with significant additional sunk costs having previously adjusted their service models to accommodate the rules that then existed.

“The industry has worked hard to operate in good faith, following health guidelines to ensure the safety of their guests, and they deserve advance communication from the NDP government in order to have time to adapt and prepare for any additional restrictions being considered,” said Stone. “Our hospitality industry is already suffering and it’s up to John Horgan to support business owners, plan ahead and stop making up rules on the fly.”