Sidewalk Cafés and Patios Expand across Niagara Falls
June 12, 2020
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Sidewalk Cafés and Patios Expand across Niagara Falls

The City of Niagara Falls is setting the stage for an exciting and expanded patio season this year! 


Currently, restaurants and bars along with their patios remain closed due to provincial orders and public health recommendations related to COVID-19. In preparation for future staged re-openings of the hospitality industry across Ontario, the City of Niagara Falls is implementing a strategy to assist local bars and restaurants. The City’s plan will make it easier for restaurant and bar owners to open and expand sidewalk cafes and patios, and to access additional space for physical distancing to keep customers and employees safe.

This initiative will provide new and expanded outdoor dining areas by making use of space in the public right-of-way, and expediting the current application and permitting process for sidewalk cafés and patios.

The initiative is well underway, including:

  • Utilizing a cross-divisional action team who oversees the program, responding quickly and efficiently to inquiries and applications, to ensure sidewalk cafés and patios can be operational as soon as possible after they are permitted.
  • Consulting with BIAs and other key stakeholders to help coordinate this important economic resilience initiative.
  • Assisting struggling businesses by waiving the application fee, and the standard licencing fee for the use of City property during the 2020 season, which ends November 1, 2020.

Restaurants and bar owners who would like to participate in the program can submit an application to the Planning Department via the drop box at City Hall, 4310 Queen Street, Niagara Falls, or on-line to [email protected]

The requirements are as follows:

  • Plans for your sidewalk café or patio must be drawn to scale showing: the front of the restaurant, the outside dimensions of the outdoor café area, the position of tables and chairs such that a 2 metre separation distance is maintained at all times.
  • A minimum 1 metre (39 inches) wide emergency evacuation route from the business operation to the street, must be shown on the plan.
  • A Standard Certificate of Insurance for $5 million to indemnify the City of Niagara Falls is required, if the sidewalk café or patio would be occupying City Property.
  • A physical separation around the outdoor café is required, if serving alcohol. Retractable stanchions are permissible.
  • The application will be circulated to municipal departments to make sure there are no safety risks. Provided there are no issues, the request will be granted expeditiously.

For additional information, please visit niagarafalls.ca

 Link to FAQ - https://niagarafalls.ca/city-hall/planning/sidewalk-cafes-and-outdoor-patios.aspx

AGCO Update - https://www.agco.ca/blog/alcohol/jun-2020/ontario-extending-outdoor-patios-allow-social-distancing-during-covid-19

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