Tim Hortons addresses closures and COVID-19 cases in Kingston

Over the past few weeks, Kingston has seen an influx of COVID-19 cases, particularly amongst restaurant workers.

Kingstonist has received several inquiries from the public regarding the sudden closure of a handful of Tim Hortons locations across the city, primarily regarding the closure of the chain’s location in the Cataraqui Centre and within the Pioneer Gas station at 1396 Bath Road.

Over the course of two days, Kingstonist reached out to Tim Hortons Canada repeatedly, but did not receive any response until late afternoon on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020.

“The Tim Hortons restaurants located at 671 Cataraqui Woods Drive and at 1396 Bath Road were temporarily closed after a team member at each restaurant tested positive for COVID-19. The two team members and those who worked with them are self-isolating for 14 days and will be supported through Tim Hortons corporate and restaurant owner COVID-19 compensation fund to provide for any lost wages,” the Tim Hortons Media Team said in an email to Kingstonist.

“Following public health guidelines, the restaurants were closed for cleaning and sanitization. 671 Cataraqui is operating the drive-thru only at this time and 1396 Bath Road re-opened fully this morning.”

According to the Media Team, the impacted team member’s last shift at 671 Cataraqui Woods Drive was on Friday, Nov. 13, and they tested positive on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. The impacted team member’s last shift at 1396 Bath Road was on Saturday, Nov. 14, and they tested positive on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. The 1396 Bath Road location is the location within the Pioneer Gas Station, which also closed on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.

The email went on to say that there have not been cases of COVID-19 in the Tim Hortons location within the Cataraqui Centre. The Tim Hortons Media Team had not responded to request for information about why the mall location closed at time of publication.

These cases come during a time of heightened cases within restaurants, which KFL&A Public Health Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, discussed earlier in the week, and which has led to KFL&A Public Health requesting all local restaurant workers to get tested for COVID-19.