Alberta business owners have had a lot to process over the past 48 hours with the latest COVID measures announced by the province.

The food and beverage industry has had to endure a lot over the course of the pandemic. They've been hit with closures, capacity restrictions and at times limited to delivery, curbside or patio dining.

Now, as the latest round of restrictions rolls out, Alberta restaurant owners are faced with the decision on whether or not to implement a proof of vaccination policy.

Jag Thind is the owner of Mehtab East Indian Cuisine here in Cochrane and he says he can't afford not to.

"I was like --Please don't close! Do whatever else you have to do, I can't afford to close again," explains Thind. 

Starting on Monday, Mehtab will have the restrictions exemption program in place. That means that Thind can continue to operate his restaurant under 'somewhat normal' rules; that is for anyone fully vaccinated or able to provide a negative COVID-19 test result.

He says that he's grateful for the choice, but still, having these responsibilities lie in the hands of business owners is a burden.

"It's hard to make people understand --you can't dine in here if you don't have the vaccine," explains Thind. "It's hard for them and it's hard [for us] to tell them."

Restaurants that choose not to implement the restrictions exemption program will be limited to outdoor dining with a maximum of six people per table. Restrictions on liquor sales and consumption will also be applied at those establishments; with sales ending at 10 p.m. and alcohol needing to be consumed by 11 p.m.

Thind has realistic expectations going into next week. He says the majority of Cochranites have complied with mask mandates and operational restrictions at his establishment, but it's never without hiccups.

"Cochrane is usually pretty good but every now and then we see some of those people for sure," explains Thind. "It's quite unfortunate that we have to deal with this again, it's really hard to tell them to go."

In accordance with provincial guidelines, Mehtab will continue to serve fully vaccinated patrons in person on Monday, September 20. Thind says that he's happy to provide delivery and take-out services for the remainder of the public.