Krown Kafe violates more COVID-19 measures along with 6 other Hamilton businesses

The Stoney Creek business that led Hamilton to release the names of businesses that infringe on pandemic protocols has, once again, broken the rules.

Last time, Paul Johnson, director of the city's emergency operations centre, said the circumstances were "beyond the pale" as he described "people getting up and singing and playing music and dancing and having the crowd dance, no masks, no physical distancing ... [without] any contact tracing information being collected."

This time, the business failed to comply with the Reopening Ontario Act (specifically, a continued section 7.0.2 order) and it failed to provide and post the required safety plan.

The list shows businesses breaching rules like operating longer than allowed, having too many people inside, and not enforcing masking.

"Quite frankly, with the limited numbers in a restaurant area, it's hard to imagine how you'd lose track of that," Johnson said.

"I look at the list and I think, 'Not enforcing masks? I mean, how long have we been talking about masks? Staying open beyond the appointed hour? That's not one that's really hard to interpret.'"

Despite the list growing, Johnson said he's happy to only see a handful of businesses, especially with all the constraints they face.

"I hope this list is doing what is was intended to, which is, we're out there and we're going to continue to enforce and in terms of the Krown Kafe, enforce again. It's not one where we come and see you and never come back. You may get a second, third visit."

Johnson said while it is theoretically possible to force a business to stay closed if it continues to violate rules, he said it would have to get as bad as the situation at Adamson Barbecue in Etobicoke, where police say they had the locks changed. 

"We haven't seen it get to that level and even when we have been in businesses and have had to do enforcement and lay the fines, it's not the same kind of combative situation you've seen."

Johnson has also said in the past that a business being on Hamilton's list doesn't necessarily mean it deliberately ignored the rules.

Full lockdown likely if cases keep rising

The growing list comes as Hamilton's COVID-19 cases continue to rise — and the city's medical officer of health said she was concerned not enough people are getting the message about the key measures to prevent more spread and a potential lockdown.

"No matter how many times we continue to emphasize the importance of these key public health measures ... it's not getting through or moving enough people to action and, by extension, it's having an impact on those around them and on our community," Dr. Elizabeth Richardson said on Monday.

"I am concerned if the numbers continue to increase as they have been, we will without a doubt be moving into the grey or lockdown part of the provincial framework."