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Amid threat of 'insane' fines, local hair salon stays open, defies shutdown

'I’m not trying to be disobedient; I’m just trying to stay in business,' says owner of downtown hair salon
City Cutz
City Cutz Hair Salon on Colborne St. W. was open on Saturday despite province-wide shutdown orders.

On Saturday morning when the latest provincial shutdown took effect, all personal care services such as hair salons were mandated to close their doors for the duration of the 28-day shutdown.

However, City Cutz Hair Salon on Colborne Street elected to keep its doors open.

“It was totally my decision, and when I asked my two staff members are you comfortable with this? They both said 'we have to work, we have to feed our families',” says City Cutz owner Angela Lewis, who started the business in 2003.

“I’m not trying to be disobedient; I’m just trying to stay in business.”

Lewis is hopeful more salons will follow suit and stay open in defiance of the provincial government's orders.

“Everybody can appreciate the enormity of the pandemic, but it’s unfair that the government keeps targeting us with their lockdowns,” she said.

A municipal bylaw officer visited City Cutz on Saturday during business hours, Lewis says.

Jennifer Ruff, the emergency information officer on the city's emergency management committee, confirmed that.

"A municipal law enforcement officer attended City Cutz over the weekend, photos were taken and the OPP were advised," said Ruff.

Lewis said the officer warned her she could face a possible $10,000-a-day fine.

“It’s insane. I think that would be the maximum fine and I think they were trying to use a little bit of intimidation, but of course I would take the fines to court; I have no choice,” Lewis said.

Lewis says she’s frustrated with the government’s decision to continually keep closing down salons while big box retailers remain open. Lewis believes her business can operate safely and stresses there is no data out there to support otherwise.

“We are following every protocol: we are social distancing, we are looking at drivers’ licenses to make sure we are only serving locals, we have hand sanitizer all over the place, we are disinfecting the chairs, masks are mandatory, we aren’t using neck brushes, we are using clean bleached towels, we are using garbage bags as disposable capes, I cut up 200 garbage bags or more each week which is an extra expense,” she explained.

Lewis herself has been taking COVID protocols seriously since last March. 

“I live by myself and I have not seen my grandson since this started. I haven’t been to a restaurant in over a year; I really only go to work,” she said.

“I am all for stopping this virus, but do it right Premier Ford. You can’t just single out people, it has to be all or nothing.”

Since deciding to stay open during the shutdown, Lewis says she and her staff have mostly been supported by local residents.

“I have received so much support, so much so that it brought me to tears. I’m overwhelmed by all the positive support,” Lewis said.

According to Lewis, City Cutz will be open again for business Tuesday. She has no current plans to obey provincial shutdown orders.


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Tyler Evans

About the Author: Tyler Evans

Tyler Evans got his start in the news business when he was just 15-years-old and now serves as a video producer and reporter with OrilliaMatters
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