A national association estimating 70 per cent of venues will not survive without government support
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and a second province-wide lockdown has made it difficult for music venues to survive.
Throughout the pandemic, the Canadian Live Music Association has advocated for venues and estimated that 70 per cent of them across Canada will not survive until the summer unless they get government support.
“And I think the unique thing about this, we know society values music quite highly, and that’s exactly where humankind turned when the pandemic hit … that’s what brought us comfort and connection,” said Bob Egan, Film, Music, and Interactive Media Officer for the City of Kitchener.
Egan mentioned in an interview with 570 NEWS that even without a lockdown, music venues have thin margins to begin with, and that is based on full capacity.
“So when things open back up these venues are going to have to retool for touchless service, air filtration, and purification, they are also going to have increased cleaning and PPE expenses, and they are also going to accommodate for increased social distancing, which means decreased capacity.”
He added when COIVD-19 is all said and done, the first thing that will need to be done so music venues can bounce back is for audiences to feel comfortable and safe.
“That’s going to be depended on the rollout of vaccines, and protection measures in each specific venue, and just the public perception in general that it’s safe to gather.”
Source: www.kitchenertoday.com
