Toronto bar starts GoFundMe to pay for City's prohibitive guidelines for patios this year
As Toronto gets deeper into the thick of patio season, the city is being treated to even more spaces to eat, drink and support local businesses thanks to the curb lane and sidewalk patios that continue to pop up this summer through the popular and lucrative CafeTO program.
The initiative to offer bars, restaurants, and coffee shops a chance to garner more business — and patrons more opportunities to enjoy summer outdoors — with expanded patio space was a hit over the lockdown months, and while many were looking forward to its return this year, there have been quite a few snags.
Restaurant owners furious Toronto’s denying their requests for curblane patios https://t.co/dLbNfAQSo0 #Toronto #Patio
— blogTO (@blogTO) June 12, 2023
Restaurateurs are saying that compared to previous years, the process to acquire or renew a permit for 2023 has been a monumental struggle full of new red tape, higher fees, delays, and a glut of unanticipated rejections.
Management at busy spots such as Bar Volo and Le Swan have revealed that their applications were, to their dismay, rejected this month despite having no issue licensing the same patios the last few years.
I’m not a big patio guy myself, but even I thought the one at @barvolo was great. And given it’s location on a low traffic alley, it’s hard to see why it would be rejected after three safe years. Just one more example of the absolute clusterfuck the #CafeTO program has become. 🙄 https://t.co/eujDehqdS2
— Greg Clow (@beerboozebites) June 13, 2023
The program’s prohibitive new rules and requirements have apparently become such a problem for establishments that one has set up a GoFundMe to help cover the costs necessary to get its patio approved.
“This year the City of Toronto’s CafeTO program has added some new shiny red tape discouraging many small businesses to decline using one of the most community-defining programs. With that red tape comes many permits and money that most independent businesses simply cannot afford,” explain the owners of Brockton Village staple Laylow on the donation page.
Laylow Summer Patio
https://t.co/hMEUSVNP0o— flora miller (@faunamil) June 16, 2023
“You will notice many restaurants, bars, and cafes have already opted out. Laylow on the other hand has already done the groundwork.”
In order for the chill watering hole’s outdoor terrace to meet this year’s guidelines, it has to have a temporary accessible platform that is linear to the curb and is designed and signed off on by a professional licensed engineer, architect, or another designer.
The page and the brewery’s social media say donations, which have reached $2,825 of a $4,000 goal at the time of publication, will cover the designer’s fee, as well as construction.
“Summertime and livin’ (ain’t) easy… now is the time not to lay low and come out and support not just us, but all small business this summer,” the team writes.
Laylow Summer Patio
https://t.co/hMEUSVNP0o— flora miller (@faunamil) June 16, 2023
We can only hope that the City takes the indignation about the new CafeTO restrictions into account when continuing the program in the future.
For now, it seems that Laylow and other businesses impacted have garnered a fair share of support from the public, which will hopefully be enough for them to still have a great season.
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