B.C. caterers say they are still getting requests for events that violate provincial COVID-19 orders

It should go without saying at this point in the pandemicthat Super Bowl parties are cancelled, and yet some Metro Vancouver catering companies say they are still fielding calls for events they suspect violate public health gathering orders.

Restrictions in place in the province until Feb. 5 meanall in-person events and gatherings areprohibited, including between households.Violation tickets of $2,300 can be issued to event organizers who defy this rule.

Yet as recently as last week,Angie Quaale, who owns Well Seasoned Catering in Langley, says she had three inappropriate requests, including one for a Super Bowl party with approximately 30 guests and a baptism event for20.

"It's kind of surprising," said Quaale."People are still doing what they're doing, and not following the regulations."

And Quaale is not the only person in the industrywrestling with rule-breakers.

Obvious red flags

Alannah Peddie, co-owner ofFrolic and Forage Catering and Cakery in East Vancouver, said she has also turned down orders for Sunday's football game, as well as large birthday celebrationsand gender reveal parties.

She said red flags like ordering two-tier cakes that serve 25 people are pretty obvious to expert party planners who Peddie sayshave beendeclining requests that breach regulations since the summer.

While Peddie's company refuses to fill these orders, she worries others may not be so prudent.

"At the end of the day, if these people are dead set on doing this, they're probably going to just keep asking around until they find someone who will accommodate that," she said.

Industry layoffs

Business has suffered since the onset of the pandemic, Peddie said, and if people continue to try to push the boundaries that Dr. Bonnie Henry has put in place, it could mean even longer before her industry gets a chance to recover.

"It's a bit of a punch to the gut," she said, adding she has friends in the industry who haven't worked for 11 months.

CBC reported layoffs in the industry in May.

At that time, Vancouver catering company Lazy Gourmet hadto reduce its staff from 160 people to four. Another Vancouver company,Peake of Catering, told CBC it had 80 people on the payroll before the pandemic andbymid-Maycould only afford 12.

Quaalesays it's "infuriating"to have peoplecontact her company hoping to flout the rules.

As of Monday afternoon, there are4,134active cases of COVID-19 in the province and 7,242 people are in isolation and being monitored by public health workers because of close contact with known cases.