Beaumont, Alta., bakery ordered to close over 'vaccine passport' rules remains open
A Beaumont, Alta., bakery owner says she’d rather lose her business than stick her nose into that of her customers by asking for their proof of vaccination.
“I refuse to ask for the vaccine passports. It’s not any of my business,” Jen Foster from Bake My Day told CTV News Edmonton Wednesday.
As of Sept. 20, only restaurants that ask for vaccine proof, or a negative COVID-19 test, are allowed to stay open for in-person dining.
An Alberta Health Services closure order was posted on Bake My Day's front door - next to an owner-posted note saying the business is still open.
“If you wish to sit at a table, please talk to a staff member so we can stop being harassed by AHS,” the note said.
AHS suspended Bake My Day’s food handling permit on Oct. 8, alleging violations of COVID-19 safety rules.
Foster acknowledges she let customers sit and eat without asking for their vaccination records.
“I'll let my business go out of business before I ask for somebody's vaccination records,” she said.
“Everything in me just said that this is absolutely wrong, because we all know that vaccinated people can still get COVID, can still pass it along.”
But vaccinated people are a lot less likely to get the COVID-19 and end up in hospital when they do, Alberta government statistics show.
On Thursday, government data attributed 67 per cent of active cases and 72 per cent of hospitalizations to unvaccinated people.
Seventy-six per cent of eligible Albertans over 12 had received two doses.
Foster said AHS visited her location three times asking her to comply. The third time, she was given a closure notice.
An inspector has checked on her business twice since then, Foster said.
CUSTOMERS STILL COMING TO ‘CLOSED’ BAKERY
But the doors haven’t been barricaded, so she’s still making food and said she will keep serving it via takeout, delivery and curbside pickup.
“I’m trying to support my fellow small business person, and I feel like it’s OK to be open right now to everyone,” customer Kathy Austin said, declining to comment on pandemic safety specifically.
“I’m really happy that they’re open and that they’ve decided to not exclude anyone.”
In one of the orders that Foster is accused of breaking, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw writes that the rules are in place because COVID-19 “poses a significant risk to public health.”
“I have the authority to take whatever other steps that are, in my opinion, necessary in order to lessen the impact of the public health emergency,” CMOH Order 44 said.
But Foster doesn’t agree it’s a business owner's responsibility to check vaccine records.
She doesn’t know what AHS will do next to enforce the order, but insists she’s not changing her mind.
“It’s stressing everybody out. No matter which way you go with this, small businesses aren’t winning. We’re not coming out on top,” Foster argued.
On Thursday, Foster closed her shop to indoor dining only in hopes she'd be allowed to stay open.
CTV News Edmonton contacted AHS to see if that means she is now compliant, but a response was not immediately received.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's David Ewasuk
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Canadian couple among tourists on sinking sailing boat tour abroad
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.