>> Steve: ONE OF THE SECTORS IN OUR ECONOMY THAT HAS SUFFERED THE MOST DURING THIS PANDEMIC IS
ARTS AND CULTURE.
FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO YOU KEEP ALIVE A MUSIC VENUE, WHEN GATHERING FOR CONCERTS IS NOT
ON?
LET'S FIND OUT.
HEIDI VAN VLYMEN IS GENERAL MANAGER OF THE JAZZ BISTRO.
IT'S ONE OF DOWNTOWN TORONTO'S MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES TO GO HEAR THE BEST JAZZ ARTISTS AROUND,
BUT IT'S BEEN PRETTY QUIET LATELY.
AND HEIDI VAN VLYMEN JOINS US NOW FROM JUST OFF YONGE-DUNDAS SQUARE IN THE HEART OF THE
PROVINCIAL CAPITAL.
HEIDI, IT'S GREAT TO MEET YOU.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT?
>> Heidi Van Vlymen: I'M DOING GREAT.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> Steve: NOT AT ALL.
IT'S GREAT TO MEET YOU.
CAN YOU START BY TELLING US WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE JAZZ BISTRO THESE DAYS?
>> WELL, IT'S VERY QUIET AROUND HERE, AND I MUST SAY, IT'S A LITTLE BIT SAD NOT TO HAVE MUSIC
IN THESE HALLS.
WHEN WE FIRST -- HAD THE FIRST LOCKDOWN, IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SHOCKING AND, MOVING FORWARD, WE
HAD DECIDED TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF STREAMING, AND IT ALMOST MADE ME CRY BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN SO
DEAD AND QUIET FOR SO LONG IN THESE ROOMS AND HALLS AND TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC AGAIN WAS JUST
AMAZING.
SO IT'S -- IT'S SOMETHING TO HAVE IT QUIET.
IT SHOULDN'T BE QUIET.
>> Steve: I MEAN, IT'S YOUR JOB, BUT YOU LOVE THE MUSIC AND CLEARLY MISS IT, RIGHT?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
ABSOLUTELY MISS IT.
>> Steve: I WENT ON YOUR WEBSITE THE OTHER DAY AND I'M GOING TO ASK OUR DIRECTOR,
SHELDON OSMOND, TO BRING UP A SHOT.
THERE'S WHAT THE GLORIOUS LOOKING JAZZ BISTRO NORMALLY LOOKS LIKE.
BUT THEN RIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, AND I'LL READ THIS OUT LOUD FOR THOSE LISTENING ON
PODCAST AND CAN'T SEE IT THEMSELVES: TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19 MODIFIED STAGE 2
RESTRICTIONS.
HOW OFTEN DO YOU GET PEOPLE GOING TO THE WEBSITE SAYING, DANG, WE WERE REALLY HOPING YOU
WERE OPEN AND THAT'S NOT THE NEWS WE WANTED TO HEAR?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE GET IT A LOT.
AND WE HAD EVENTS KIND OF SCHEDULED THAT HAVE BEEN POSTPONED BASED ON NEWS THAT
TORONTO HEALTH HAS PUT FORWARD, AND IT KEEPS GETTING PUSHED TO ANOTHER DATE, ANOTHER DATE,
ANOTHER DATE, AND NOW WE'RE COMPLETELY CLOSED, AND I DON'T IMAGINE ANYTHING WILL HAPPEN
UNTIL THE NEW YEAR.
SO IT'S -- YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PEOPLE CALLING AND LOOKING TO BOOK, AND I'M LIKE, WE CAN'T BE
OPEN, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THEIR INFORMATION OR HOW THEY'RE NOT
KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE -- AND THE ARTISTS.
IT HITS THE ARTISTS THE HARDEST BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN PRETTY MUCH LOCKED UP IN THEIR HOUSES
STREAMING SINCE MARCH, AND IT'S JUST DIFFERENT WHEN YOU HAVE A LIVE AUDIENCE IN FRONT OF YOU.
FOR US AS PROVIDERS OF THE VENUE AND SERVERS AND -- IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU
HAVE PEOPLE REACTING TO WHAT YOU'RE GIVING THEM, WHETHER IT'S LIVE MUSIC, THE FOOD -- LIKE,
IT'S JUST A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.
>> Steve: YEAH.
HOW OFTEN ARE YOU GETTING EMAILS OR PHONE CALLS FROM EITHER TALENT AGENTS OR MUSICIANS
SAYING: ARE YOU TAKING BOOKINGS YET FOR NEXT YEAR?
WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE BACK OPEN?
ALL OF THAT KIND OF STUFF.
>> WE DO.
WE GET A LOT OF REQUESTS.
AND PEOPLE ARE, YOU KNOW, THINKING INTO THE FUTURE AND PUTTING THEIR NAME IN THEIR
FAST, AND WE GET A LOT.
OUR MUSIC DIRECTOR, JAYMS BEE, HE BOOKS THE ROOM AND DOES A FANTASTIC JOB AND THEY ARE
CONSTANTLY COMING IN.
>> Steve: THIS IS J-A-Y-M-S B-E-E.
HE HAS A STRANGE WAY OF SPELLING HIS NAME BUT HE'S A GREAT GUY.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU OPENED YOUR DOORS AND HAD A REASONABLY FULL HALL OF PEOPLE
LISTENING TO GREAT MUSIC?
>> WELL, I MEAN, WE OPENED ON THE END OF JULY WHEN THE CITY GAVE US THAT WONDERFUL CAFE
T.O., WHICH, HONESTLY, WAS A GREAT THING THAT THEY DID FOR TORONTO AND I HOPE THEY KEEP
THAT MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE IT REALLY GIVES SUCH A CAFE AND, YOU KNOW, EUROPEAN FEEL TO OUR
STREETS, AND I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL.
SO IT GAVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THE DOORS, PLAY MUSIC FROM OUR SOUND SYSTEM THAT WE
NORMALLY HAVE AND PUT IT OUT INTO THE STREET.
THEN WE HAD FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, WHEN WE WERE ALLOWED TO BRING PEOPLE IN, WE WERE ALLOWED
UP TO 50 PEOPLE.
SO SOCIAL DISTANCING AND ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER MUSIC VENUES AND RESTAURANTS AND SUCH, WE
SPENT A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF TIME MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE COMPLIANT.
SO TABLES 6 FEET APART.
ONLY 50 PEOPLE.
SCREENS ON THE STAGE BEHIND ME SO THAT IF HORNS OR PEOPLE WERE SINGING, THAT THE PLEXIGLAS
WOULD, YOU KNOW, KEEP PEOPLE SAFE FROM ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, TRANSMISSION OR WHATEVER.
AND WE DID EVERYTHING THAT WE NEEDED TO DO AND IT WAS WONDERFUL.
EVEN THOUGH WE COULD ONLY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE RESTAURANT, IT WAS GREAT.
THE ARTISTS LOVED IT.
WE LOVED IT.
OUR LAST SHOW WAS OCTOBER 3RD.
AND OUR OWNER, HE CLOSED OUT WITH A BIG BANG.
AND WITH 50 PEOPLE ALLOWED IN THE VENUE, WE WERE QUITE ABLE TO FILL OUR SEATS.
NORMALLY WE COULD HAVE, YOU KNOW, UP TO 200 PEOPLE 'CAUSE WE HAVE TWO FLOORS THAT CAN ENJOY
THE MUSIC, SO WE HAVE A MEZZANINE LEVEL AND THE MAIN LEVEL.
AND THEN YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE ROOM FOR TABLES.
BUT NOW THERE'S NO -- NO SQUEEZING.
IT IS 50 AND THAT'S IT.
>> Steve: SO IT'S MORE THAN TWO MONTHS SINCE YOU'VE REALLY HAD ANYBODY IN THERE PLAYING.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> Steve: WHAT A SHAME.
WHAT IS YOUR COMPLEMENT OF STAFF UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES?
>> WELL, NORMALLY WE HAVE A FULL KITCHEN, WHICH RUNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 15 COOKS AND THE CHEF, AND
ON THE FLOOR, SAME THING.
WE HAVE ABOUT 15 SERVERS AND THEN THE SOUND TECHNICIANS AND MYSELF AND MANAGERS.
>> Steve: SO IT'S GETTING CLOSE TO 40 THEN.
>> YES.
>> Steve: AND HAVE YOU HAD TO LAY EVERYBODY OFF?
>> YES, WE HAVE.
IT'S SAD.
I MEAN, EVERYBODY -- IT'S HARD.
IT'S REALLY BEEN HARD ON THE STAFF.
A LOT OF THEM ARE YOUNG PEOPLE AND, YOU KNOW, THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY IS OFTEN A STEPPING
STONE TO BIGGER AND BROADER DREAMS FOR SOME PEOPLE.
AND IT'S BEEN A HARD GO, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO THINGS TO SUPPLEMENT, BUT IT'S
DIFFICULT TO -- YOU KNOW, TO KEEP EVERYBODY WORKING AND OUR OWNERS ARE WONDERFUL AND THEY DO
THEIR BEST.
SINCE THE FIRST BREAKDOWN -- LOCKDOWN IN MARCH, THEY DID THEIR ABSOLUTE BEST TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYBODY STILL HAD SOME INCOME, STILL HAD SOMETHING TO DO.
I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THREE FLOORS HERE.
IT'S A HUGE VENUE.
AND THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO.
SO THEY MADE SURE THAT THEY TOOK CARE OF THE STAFF AS BEST THEY COULD FOR AS LONG AS THEY COULD.
BUT AT SOME POINT, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS TO BE A TIME WHEN, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO LAY PEOPLE OFF
AND HOPE FOR THE BEST.
>> Steve: LET ME ASK YOU A COUPLE OF FINANCIAL QUESTIONS HERE.
YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO GET THE PLACE UP TO THE STANDARDS OF THE
PROVINCIAL PROTOCOLS SO THAT YOU COULD REOPEN AND HAVE EVERYBODY BE SAFE.
CAN YOU TELL US HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SPENT TO DO ALL THAT?
>> I WOULD SAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
I MEAN, WE BOUGHT ALL THE EQUIPMENT.
WE REPLACED ALL THE SANITIZING MACHINES SO THAT THEY'RE HANDS-FREE.
WE HAD TO GET SCREENS.
WE HAD TO MOVE THE DIVIDERS AROUND, GET DIVIDERS FOR THE TABLES, GET, YOU KNOW, FOR THE
BAR, THERE'S ALL -- IT'S ALL CORDONED OFF.
EVERYTHING HAS PLEXIGLAS AND DIVIDERS.
AND THAT COST MONEY, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE UNDERSTAND AND WE'RE ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO DO IT TO
KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
AND WE HEARD SO MANY TIMES FROM GUESTS COMING IN, THEY REALLY APPRECIATED THE EFFORT THAT WE
WERE MAKING TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE WERE SAFE.
WE HAD A NURSE THAT CAME AND HE WORKED AT MOUNT SINAI AND HE SHOOK MY HAND AND HE SAID I WANT
TO THANK YOU.
YOU'VE GOT A PASS FROM MOUNT SINAI.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS NICE.
>> Steve: HE SHOOK YOUR HAND.
HE'D HAVE TO BUMP YOUR ELBOW TODAY.
NO HAND-SHAKING ANYMORE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Steve: FOR THOSE WHO HAVE WATCHED TVO FOR A LONG TIME, YOUR PLACE USED TO BE CALLED THE
TOP OF THE SENATOR.
WE USED TO BRING CAMERAS THERE FREQUENTLY AND WE'D SHOOT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND DO INTERVIEWS
WITH THE MUSICIANS.
BUT THE PLACE WENT UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP.
I'M NOT SURE YOU WERE THERE WHEN THE OWNERSHIP CHANGED HANDS.
BUT THEY LITERALLY SPENT MILLIONS, RIGHT, MILLIONS CHANGING THE OLD TOP OF THE
SENATOR TO THE NEW JAZZ BISTRO.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY?
>> ABSOLUTELY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, YES.
I MEAN, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT VENUE RIGHT NOW.
>> Steve: IT REALLY IS.
THIS IS A HARD QUESTION TO ASK, BUT IF YOU DON'T GET THIS PLACE OPEN AND EARNING REVENUE SOON,
THERE A DANGER THAT THE BISTRO IS GOING TO DISAPPEAR?
>> WELL, AND, YOU KNOW, OUR OWNERS ARE COMMITTED.
SO THEY ARE COMMITTED TO KEEPING LIVE MUSIC AROUND IN THE CITY.
THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL VENUE.
THEY'VE WORKED VERY HARD OVER THE YEARS IMPLEMENTING, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC,
WORLD MUSIC, YOU KNOW, CHANGING THE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, GETTING JUST DIFFERENT JAZZ FROM ALL
AROUND THE WORLD.
THE BONUS IS THAT WE OWN THE BUILDING -- OR MY OWNERS OWN THE BUILDING.
SO THAT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A BLESSING.
IT HELPS -- I DON'T KNOW HOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING IT, I REALLY DON'T.
AND SO MANY JAZZ VENUES AND CLUBS IN THE CITY HAVE GONE UNDER, AND WE JUST CAN'T HAVE
ANOTHER ONE GO UNDER.
OUR MUSICIANS NEED US.
WE NEED THEM.
SO OUR OWNERS ARE COMMITTED.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT -- IT'S NOT AN EASY, YOU KNOW -- THERE'S MONEY GOING OUT THE DOOR IN DROVES.
BUT WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND COME BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HERE FOR OUR ARTISTS AND OUR
STAFF AND THE CITY.
>> Steve: SO JUST -- FOR US TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
IF YOU OWN THE BUILDING, YOU'RE NOT HAVING TO PAY RENT TO A LANDLORD, THERE'S THERE.
BUT YOU'VE STILL GOT ELECTRICITY COSTS, YOU'VE STILL GOT PROPERTY TAXES TO PAY.
THERE WAS A BIT OF A HOLIDAY A FEW MONTHS AGO BUT THAT HOLIDAY IS OVER.
WHAT EXPENDITURES DO YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH NOW WITH NO REVENUES COMING IN?
>> LIKE YOU SAID THE RUNNING COSTS KEEP COMING.
THAT DOESN'T CHANGE.
WE JUST HAD THE HEATING, WE HAD A $3,000 -- LIKE, IT'S JUST CONSTANT.
CONSTANT MAINTENANCE, UPKEEP.
AND LIKE I SAID, WE OWN THE BUILDING BUT THEN WE OWN ALL THE PROBLEMS.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE HEATING, THE ROOF, THE LEAKS -- EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN A BUILDING AND
IT JUST KEEPS THE MONEY STILL NEEDS TO COME TO PAY ALL THOSE THINGS AND TO KEEP THE LIGHTS
ON.
>> Steve: NOW, HEIDI, THIS IS ADMITTEDLY A BIT OF A CONTROVERSIAL QUESTION, BUT HERE
GOES ANYWAY.
YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY WHO HAVE BEEN PROTESTING QUITE FREQUENTLY
ABOUT THE FACT THAT SO MUCH OF SOCIETY HAS BEEN LOCKED DOWN.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WEAR MASKS AT ALL.
SOME OF THEM THINK THAT THE COST TO SMALL BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS HAS BEEN TOO HIGH.
I GUESS I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER YOU AND YOUR OWNERS FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY OF PEOPLE WHO
THINK THE REACTION HAS BEEN TOO STRONG AND THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD OPEN AT LEAST A LITTLE BIT
AND HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON THERE?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> WELL, THAT'S AN INTERESTING QUESTION BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AN OPINION ON THAT.
I MEAN, MASKS, 100 PERCENT.
ANYBODY THAT, YOU KNOW, FEELS LIKE MASKS ARE SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO WEAR, I THINK
IT'S AN EASY THING TO DO TO KEEP EVERYBODY SAFE AND TO, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOUR BELIEFS ARE, IT
JUST KEEPS PEACE AND MAKES EVERYBODY FEEL LIKE EVERYBODY'S DOING THEIR PART.
AS FAR AS THE VENUES AND THE WAY IT'S BEEN ROLLED OUT IS INTERESTING AND A LITTLE
CONFUSING AT TIMES.
IT'S NOT VERY CLEAR AS TO WHAT IS EXPECTED, SO WHEN WE HAD THE PATIOS, WE WERE CLOSED INSIDE
BUT YOU COULD HAVE THE PATIOS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, BUT INITIALLY, YOU COULDN'T COVER THE PATIOS BECAUSE THEN IT WAS A
CLOSED ENCLOSURE.
THEN PEOPLE STARTED CLOSING THEIR PATIOS.
IT'S JUST NOT VERY CLEAR.
SO I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR.
AND HONESTLY, LIKE SO MANY OF THESE SMALL SHOPS, LIKE OURSELVES, WE'RE CONSIDERED
SMALL IN THE FACT THAT WE'RE A SINGULAR OWNED -- THERE'S NOT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS SAFE.
AND WE CAN ACTUALLY CONTROL THAT.
THE SAME WITH RIGHT NOW EVERYBODY ELSE -- I MEAN, THE SMALL BOOKSTORES AND WHATEVER.
THEY ARE EASY ENOUGH TO CONTROL, ONE PERSON IN AT A TIME.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK PUTTING THIS BLANKET CLOSURE ON EVERYBODY, IF THERE'S
A CERTAIN AREA THAT'S A PROBLEM, I THINK IT'S MORE HOUSE PARTIES AND HOME PARTIES AND THOSE KINDS
OF THINGS AS OPPOSED TO VENUE PROBLEMS OR BUSINESS PROBLEMS.
I MEAN, THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSY, OBVIOUSLY, IS THE BOX STORES THAT ARE ALLOWED TO BE OPEN AND,
I DON'T KNOW, YOU'VE BEEN THERE, I'VE BEEN THERE.
THERE'S NO SOCIAL DISTANCING HAPPENING THERE.
SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND AND WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW HAVING 50 PEOPLE IN A VERY ORGANIZED
SITUATION WHERE THEY CAN HEAR LIVE MUSIC -- YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, AND I
WAS VERY DILIGENT ON MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE STAYED IN THEIR SEATS, HAD THEIR MASKS ON, IF
THEY HAD TO GO TO THE WASHROOMS -- EVERYTHING WAS TIGHT.
AND TO JUST SHUT IT DOWN BLANKETLY SO ALL THESE BUSINESSES CAN'T MAKE A PENNY
AND THE BOX STORE GETS ALL THE REVENUE, IT JUST -- IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO STAY SAFE, 10.
WEAR YOUR MASKS.
FOLLOW THE RULES.
BUT FOR THOSE OF US -- IT'S HARD TO MAKE SURE STAYING ON TOP OF KEEPING EVERYONE SAFE, IT'S A
BIT MUCH RIGHT NOW.
>> Steve: AND TO THE BEST OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE, NONE OF YOUR KITCHEN STAFF, NONE OF YOUR
AUDIO TECHNICIANS, NOBODY WHO WORKS THERE HAS CONTRACTED A CASE OF COVID-19 FROM WORKING
THERE?
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> Steve: SO YOU'RE CONVINCED THAT YOU COULD OPEN THE DOORS EVEN NOW WITH THE ENHANCED
PROTOCOLS IN PLACE AND FOR ADMITTEDLY A SMALLER AUDIENCE, YOU COULD OPEN TO LIVE MUSIC
SAFELY?
YOU'RE CONVINCED YOU COULD DO THAT?
>> WE -- I MEAN, THE OWNERS ARE FOLLOWING THE PROTOCOLS.
SO IF IT SAYS WE ARE TO BE CLOSED, WE'RE HAPPY TO BE CLOSED.
WE'RE HAPPY TO FOLLOW THE RULES.
THAT BEING SAID, I THINK, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE PROTOCOLS THAT WE'VE TAKEN AND THE
MEASURES THAT WE'VE TAKEN TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE, I BELIEVE WE CAN KEEP PEOPLE SAFE.
BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, FIGHT TO GO AGAINST WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY AND THE
GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED.
WE WILL GO ALONG AND FOLLOW THE RULES, ABSOLUTELY.
BUT WE WENT TO VERY BIG MEASURES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE SAFE AND WE DID A REALLY GOOD JOB AT
IT.
I HAD MENTIONED TO SOMEONE BEFORE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THEY HAD JUST MAYBE DEPUTIZED A FEW
PEOPLE AND JUST WALK AROUND THE CITY AND JUST WALK IN AND IN TWO MINUTES YOU CAN TELL IF THEY'RE
COMPLIANT OR NOT.
AND THEN SHUT THEM DOWN, NOT FOR 28 DAYS, BUT SHUT THEM DOWN FOR A WEEK AND GET THEM TO FIX IT.
LIKE, I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS.
THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP.
SO WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR PART.
BUT LIVE MUSIC AND THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY AND FOOD SERVICE IS SUFFERING AND IT'S
GOING TO BE A LONG ROAD BACK.
>> Steve: CAN YOU TELL US WHETHER THERE WERE ANY PROGRAMS INTRODUCED BY ANY LEVEL OF
GOVERNMENT -- FEDERAL, PROVINCIAL, OR MUNICIPAL -- THAT WERE HELPFUL TO YOU DURING THIS
TIME?
>> YES.
WELL, WE HAD TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE -- >> Steve: MUNICIPAL TAX
HOLIDAY?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> Steve: OKAY.
>> AND THE WAGE REBATE.
SO THE SUPPLEMENT FOR ANYBODY THAT YOU'RE PAYING, THAT HELPED A LOT.
I MEAN, THAT REALLY -- WE APPRECIATED IT IMMENSELY.
IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT IT'S STILL A VERY BIG NEGATIVE THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, BUT IT
DEFINITELY, DEFINITELY HELPED AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE HELP.
>> Steve: WELL, SPEAKING OF APPRECIATE, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING SOME TIME TO COME ON
TVO TONIGHT AND EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION THERE, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU -- I'M SURE I SPEAK FOR
THOUSANDS WHEN I SAY -- WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THE DOORS TO BE OPEN AGAIN SO THAT WE CAN GET BACK TO
THE JAZZ BISTRO AND HEAR SOME LIVE MUSIC.
YOU TAKE CARE, HEIDI, OKAY?
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> Steve: NOT AT ALL. THAT'S HEIDI VAN VLYMEN THE GENERAL MANAGER AT THE JAZZ BISTRO IN
DOWNTOWN TORONTO.