City councillors extend temporary outdoor patio program for Burlington restaurants

City councillors have approved the extension of a temporary outdoor patio program for Burlington restaurants.

Mayor Marianne Meed Ward said the decision was made yesterday at a special council meeting.

“It repeats the success of our previous two years allowing patios on private property in malls and retail situations where we’ve seen them, but also on city sidewalks downtown,” Meed Ward said in an interview on Morning Live Wednesday.

Under the new bylaw, temporary outdoor patios such as tents are allowed and zoning restrictions for these uses on private property will be relaxed until the end of the year.

If a restaurant owner would like to build a patio on public property, they can submit an application between April 15 and Oct. 31.

City councillors also waived the $250 public land application fee and reduced the required liability insurance from $5 million to $2 million.

“We’re hoping to make it a little easier for our businesses because we’ve heard it’s a five to seven-year recovery for our hospitality sector,” Meed Ward said.

“Many people who worked in that industry, because of the chaos [of COVID-19], have left the sector…The restaurants are open but it’s really hard to staff them.”