It's showtime: B.C. movie theatres reopen with reduced capacity
Some Vancouver moviegoers couldn’t wait. They bought tickets for the very first showtimes at Cineplex Marine Gateway on Tuesday, as movie theatres reopened for the first time since November 2020 under Step 2 of B.C.’s restart plan.
“It’s been too long away, and I’m just so excited and so happy that its finally open again,“ said Michelle Richderoba, who bought tickets for the new musical “In The Heights.” So did Karthik Sathiamoorthi, who told CTV News he had missed the moviegoing experience, including the popcorn.
“Of course there are all the streaming platforms now, but it's not the same," he said.
“This is a great moment, a great moment,” said theatre general manager Richard Mcluckie. “We have movies to play and we have people who want to see them, it’s wonderful.”
It’s a similar feeling at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver.
“I am absolutely thrilled. So excited,” says Corinne Lea, owner of the independent cinema on East Broadway and Commercial Drive.
The independently-owned cinema played two movies on Tuesday night to sold out audiences. In Step 2, each auditorium can have a maximum of 50 moviegoers in assigned seats.
When the province shut movie theatres down last November, Lea kept the Rio Theatre open by temporarily transforming it into a sports bar. With that new designation came the ability to host more than 50 people.
“When we were a sports bar we were allowed to have 125 seats based on social distancing. Who can explain that? The only difference was we were playing sports on the big screen.”
With more than 400 seats, Lea feels the Rio Theatre can safely seat more than 50 moviegoers.
Theatres hope they can have more guests in each auditorium under the next step, which is set to begin as early as July 1. But it’s unclear if that will be allowed.
“Increased gathering limits is suggested, we just don't know what it means for us. It's inferred that we could see an increase in capacity, but there is no clear guidance as to what that capacity would be,” said Bill Walker, the CEO of Landmark Cinemas.
After being closed for nearly seven months, some theatres are having a difficult time finding enough staff to fully reopen.
“We have been in contract communication, but ultimately many have left and found other jobs. We do have enough to reopen, some places will have a limited schedule because of it. But over the next couple of weeks we are out recruiting,” said Walker.
Theatres hope as movie goers start to return, staff will come back too. Opening day sales have been promising.
“We are very nearly sold out of almost everything for this evening already,” said Mcluckie.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.