The Town of Newmarket is hailing last summer's patio program as a "tremendous success" in supporting restaurants in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are already looking at how it might be brought back next year.
The program helped restaurants create and expand patio space, including on public property such as sidewalks and parking spaces, to accommodate more patrons while abiding by physical distancing requirements.
A total of 37 restaurants across Newmarket — a third of which were within the Main Street Business Improvement Area (BIA) — took part in the program.
The town spent almost $27,000 on the 2020 patio program, with costs from woodworking, fence rental, and signage.
"Thank you to our staff for their outstanding job on that patio program and turning that around. I definitely heard some of those patio owners say it was key to their survival," said Mayor John Taylor.
"It's the kind of thing we can do and should do. If it's allowed again and needed again, hopefully, we can be in a position to see that happen."
The program began in June while Newmarket and York Region were under stage 2 restrictions, which allowed restaurants to reopen for in-person dining as long as it was outside and followed public health guidelines.
The provincial government also amended the Liquor Licence Act to allow restaurants to use public lands such as parking spaces, sidewalks and laneways adjacent to their properties as patio space.
According to the staff report, many local restaurants began expressing interest in getting additional space to set up large patio sections.
After conducting a survey of restaurant owners, the town took several steps to help their businesses, including:
- Waiving the patio licence fee for 2020;
- Updating patio regulations to include more flexibility on hours of operation and encroachment on public lands;
- Funding the cost of infrastructure, set up and tear down of pedestrian zones/expanded patios on town property adjacent to businesses;
- Helping businesses connect with material suppliers and contractors;
- Directing municipal departments to ensure a timely process that would allow restaurants to open as soon as possible.
"It was a really great example of mass mobilization from across our whole organization; staff from all commissions and many departments stepped up really quickly to meet the needs of the business community. It was great," said Ian McDougall, commissioner of community services.
"A lot of lessons were learned from this, and we want to make it better and better as time goes on."
The next steps, McDougall said, are to conduct another survey of restaurants, non-food businesses in the BIA, and residents to gather feedback, and then bring back a report to council early next year with proposals for the 2021 patio season.
But there is one potential problem with bringing the patio program back again.
Director of legislative services Lisa Lyons pointed out that the province's amendment loosening rules around using public land for patios will expire at the start of January, so a new program may have to be more restrictive.
Mayor Taylor suggested that Newmarket push for the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to lobby the government to keep the amended rules in place for another summer.
