Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk tweeted on Tuesday that it's time to allow fans to attend home games at Canadian Tire Centre (CTC) despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but later backtracked, saying "that time is not now." Around noon, Melnyk announced in a tweet that he had "submitted" a plan to welcome back about 6,000 fans, using about one-third of the arena's seats. Melnyk said his "robust public safety plan" includes "health protocols ranging from proper physical distancing, rapid testing and mask-wearing at all times" inside CTC. But Ottawa's Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches explained that professional sports falls under provincial regulations. The league relies on fans attending games for roughly 50 per cent of its traditional revenue.

Source: CBC News January 12, 2021 18:28 UTC