As reported in The Province, casino operators are prepared to accept customers as soon as they receive the green light from authorities.
Chuck Keeling, EVP at Great Canadian Casinos, said: “It won’t be official until the Provincial Government announces it, but at this point, we are gearing up and to use a casino term we are all in, in terms of getting ready for July 1.”
Great Canadian Casinos operates nine casinos in British Columbia, such as Vancouver’s Hastings Park and Richmond’s River Rock.
Keeling added the group has already called back hundreds of employees that have been out of work since March 2020, when lockdowns began.
The British Columbia General Employees Union represents around 3,200 casino employees, which includes security workers, housekeeping staff and card dealers.
During the pandemic, these workers remained as employees at casinos, despite not working, and now they’re set to return.
Some businesses within the hospitality sector are reporting labour shortages; Keeling said some areas “will be challenged by some of those systemic issues across the market.”
To meet Covid-19 safety measures, once the casinos open up in July they will all have new features.
For example, slot machines will be spread out to meet the two-metre social distancing guidelines; they will also include plexiglass barriers at card tables and cash cages.
Specific details like whether there will still be indoor mask wearing is yet to be confirmed as part of the restart plan.
However, casinos have made sure they are best equipped to meet the standards required to reopen later this week.
