This week, the province of Ontario followed the path of its neighbors in Quebec by shutting down movie theatres and many other public venues to control the spread of COVID-19’s Omicron variant. This forced shutdown is another heavy burden for Canada’s largest exhibitor Cineplex, which was forced to lay off more than 5,000 employees after closing all 67 of its theatres in Ontario.
The current layoffs are expected to be temporary since the government’s mandate will last only a few weeks. During this time, the employees will receive unemployment benefits and be rehired quickly once theatres reopen. South of the border, U.S. states are following a different course, with none having signaled plans to close down theatres or other public venues to combat rising COVID-19 infections.
See also: Ontario to Shutter Cinemas Amid Omicron Surge (Hollywood Reporter)