Here’s a sobering statistic — 10,000 restaurants in Canada have permanently closed since the COVID-19 pandemic came ashore last March.

Restaurants Canada has launched a new #RestaurantsAreFamily initiative that asks people to imagine life without restaurants.

Restaurant lovers are invited to read stories, make their pledge to continue supporting small and independent businesses via dine-in, pickup, delivery and buying gift cards, and share their favourite restaurant memories from their social feed, camera roll, scrapbooks and more.

Post, tag the restaurant you love and use the hashtag #RestaurantsAreFamily and Restaurants Canada will share it with the nation so everyone gets the bigger picture.

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Happy new year from all of us at Breaking Bread HQ to all of you out there across Canada who are turning the calendar today.

Here’s to a much more fortuitous year ahead that’s full of promise and potential. Thank you for your continued support of small and independent Canadian restaurants.

Stand tall. Stay strong. Show love. Support local.

It’s the last day of service in 2020 for the team at Vancouver’s Medina Cafe after a year that has seen the brunch institution navigate more than its fair shares of ups, downs and last-minute pivots.

Medina’s owner, Robbie Kane — one of the most gracious hosts and restaurateurs we know — shared a personal note this morning that hits the high notes and shows the sort of gratitude we all feel for everyone in this industry as well as those who have supported it this past year:

“Immense gratitude to all staff, patrons and family for their incredible support and positivity in the most absurd year I can recount in my lifetime. To our sisters and brothers in the hospitality world, hats off to you all. You are some of the bravest, hardest working, most creative people I know. Thank you for coming together and showing what community is about. May we all raise a glass in person soon in good health from beyond the plexi.

With love and gratitude for what we have,

— Robbie Kane”

Well said, Robbie. Happy New Year’s Eve to all of you across the country as we turn the calendar.