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A Toronto barbecue restaurant owner has been ordered to close by the city's medical officer of health after openly defying Ontario's COVID-19 regulations Tuesday, and police now say they will enforce that closure after letting the eatery stay open earlier.
Toronto police said at first that the restaurant, Adamson Barbecue, would be permitted to stay open all day on Tuesday, however later on during the day, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Eileen de Villa issued an order for its closure under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, effective immediately.
Police, bylaw officers and public health officials first arrived at the restaurant in Etobicoke that opened for indoor dining Tuesday morning in direct violation of provincial COVID-19 rules, but said they were unable to close it at the time.
Police, however, returned late Tuesday afternoon after the closure order was issued, saying the action taken in the morning by officers was "not appropriate."
"The order was crystal clear. Toronto Public Health has closed this premise, it shall remain closed and the owner has been provided a detailed understanding of what his obligations are," Staff Superintendent Mark Barkley told reporters.
"If he opens tomorrow, we will be here. We will have a presence and we will ensure compliance with the order and compliance with the Reopening Ontario Act," Barkley said.