Struggling restaurant industry calls on N.B. government to boost consumer confidence

Many in restaurant industry still struggling Some working in the Maritime restaurant industry want public health and governments to encourage the public's safety in their facilities.

With nearly two years of shifting pandemic protocols and calls to stay at home, some Maritimers may still have reservations when it comes to eating at restaurants, which is something the industry want to see addressed.

Mike Babineau, president of the Bella Hospitality Group in Fredericton, N.B., says public health and political leaders need to stand up and say it’s safe to dine out in order to boost consumer confidence and help the struggling sector.

“We really need them to come out and really say that restaurants are doing what they normally do, they sanitize, they have the most training to handle proper food service,” says Babineau.

“We really need to see the government stepping up and saying get out there and support your local businesses, because it’s very important.”

Luc Erjavec, Restaurant Canada’s vice-president for the Atlantic region, says they’d like to see help for restaurants go beyond loosening of restrictions and for governments to take ‘strong measures’ in order to encourage people to go out and support their local restaurants.

“What I’d really look to is some programs similar to what P.E.I. did last winter, which is called the Dine and Save program,” says Erjavec.

“Which was really an incentive for consumers to go to a restaurant and dine-in on slow nights like a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.”