Senators owner Melnyk working on challenge to Ontario attendance limits
Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk is working on a pitch to the Ontario government to allow the team to welcome full-capacity crowds at the Canadian Tire Centre, the team’s president of business operations said Thursday.
Anthony LeBlanc says the restrictions that would see the Senators play home games in empty arenas are “nonsensical” and “draconian."
LeBlanc said Melnyk is putting together documentation to present to Premier Doug Ford to argue the organization’s case.
“He’s employing scientists that he’s worked with over the last several decades so he can put together an argument of why these current restrictions that are in place for facilities like Canadian Tire Centre make absolutely no sense from a scientific point of view,” LeBlanc told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll.
“Eugene’s approaching this purely through science,” LeBlanc added. “I know he’s had direct conversations with the premier.”
Under Ontario’s current rules, put in place to limit the spread of the Omicron variant, sports arenas are limited to 500 people or fewer until Feb. 21. The Senators have already played two home games with no fans this month, and have 10 more scheduled before that date.
LeBlanc said he believes the team should be allowed to fully reopen the CTC to fans, given they are requiring proof of vaccination and have upgraded to “state-of-the-art” air flow.
“I’ll take 50 per cent...but I don’t even know why we’d be at 50. We should be at 100 per cent,” he said.
And he questioned why facilities such as big box stores can welcome people up to half capacity while arenas are far more limited.
“We’re not sitting here looking for any form of special treatment,” LeBlanc said. “We’re just asking people to look at this rationally and say it just doesn’t make sense.”
However, one infectious disease expert said big box stores are a different proposition than live sporting events,
“At a big box store there is continual movement in a very large air space,” said Colin Furness, infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto. “You’re there for a fairly short time. You’re not pressed up close against other people.”
Furness said there is a higher risk of COVID-19 transmission at sporting events because many people aren’t wearing their masks the entire time.
“I don’t even think stadiums should have 500 people in them right now. Not when people can’t get cancer surgery,” he said. “I just think we need to organize our priorities here. And the billionaire owners of teams are going to take a hit, yes that’s true. But I’m far more concerned with small businesses and being able to keep them open.”
LeBlanc said he estimates the restrictions will lead to a $100 million loss in revenue for Ontario’s sports teams, including the Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Raptors, and OHL and AHL teams.
For a typical home-game, the Senators employ about 1,000 people, he said.
“Those part-time workers need that part-time job,” he said.
Jennifer O'Connell, a Senators guest services employee, says the two months without a paycheque comes at what is already the hardest time of the year.
"A lot of us have this as our main job, or we’re retired," she said. "It’s that extra income, and it’s all gone.
"There's people that need the money. Epsecially with the way everything is rising in prices; gas, groceries, everything. It's difficult, that's for sure."
Under the province’s reopening plan, sports venues can return to 50 per cent capacity on Feb. 21 and full capacity on March 14.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Senators reject field trip to African Lion Safari amid elephant bill study
The Senate legal affairs committee has rejected a motion calling for members to take a $50,000 field trip to the African Lion Safari in southern Ontario to see the zoo's elephant exhibit.
CFIA monitoring for avian flu in Canadian dairy cattle after U.S. discoveries
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is encouraging veterinarians to keep an eye out for signs of avian influenza in dairy cattle following recent discoveries of cases of the disease in U.S. cow herds.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
DEVELOPING G7 warns of new sanctions against Iran as world reacts to apparent Israeli drone attack
Group of Seven foreign ministers warned of new sanctions against Iran on Friday for its drone and missile attack on Israel, and urged both sides to avoid an escalation of the conflict.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
Vancouver firefighter in rehab at home after losing leg to flesh-eating infection overseas
A family trip took a frightening turn for Christopher Won when he was diagnosed with flesh-eating disease while in Hong Kong and now, after weeks of treatment overseas, the Vancouver firefighter is back home recovering.