Bytowne Cinema holding onto COVID-19 vaccination certificates as safety precaution

One cinema is choosing to keep a couple of COVID-19 mandates in place, even as many provincial pandemic restriction are lifted. 

The co-owner of Bytowne Cinema, Daniel Demois told CityNews that he's heard from audience members and people on social media citing concerns about  pandemic restrictions being lifted come March 1, which made some of them fearful of returning to public spaces. 

“We've heard it from some people for sure, like I've definitely heard it at the box office people saying, 'Oh, this might be my last film because we don't know if we're going to be coming back on March 1,'” he explained. 

The company announced on Twitter earlier this week that they would continue asking those to show proof of vaccination, which Demois says, was well-received from the public.  

UPDATE: Proof of vaccination remains in effect at the ByTowne.

We have made the decision to continue to require QR code proof of vaccination to attend films at the ByTowne Cinema. pic.twitter.com/KlPcRORMlY

— ByTowne Cinema (@ByTowne) February 23, 2022

The demographic of movie go-ers to the cinema tends to be older, Demois points out. So, it's another reason why so much caution is being taken.

“The Bytowne audience is not necessarily a young audience, it's not primarily students, it is probably middle-aged and older,” he said. “So, I think that probably does maybe speak to why some of those concerns exist for those people who are coming here.” 

The cinema, like many other smaller venues, are allowed to operate at a 100 per cent capacity limit, but Demois says keeping it 75 per cent feels more comfortable for now. Even then, it can still hold roughly up to 400 people at a time.

But the main goal for now continues to be the safety of audience members and staff. He says he wants to give those audiences coming into the theatre a sense of comfort and safety — even though as many as 500 people can enter, and while they're inside to make sure they can have enough space next to one another. 

“We've always kind of had that in mind in terms of making sure that we are catering to those people who are most concerned,” he said. “Just because we want to make sure people have a safe space to go.” 

The restrictions won't be in place for too long, Demois says— just until he and staff members feel safe enough to do so.