Coun. Maria Mavridis is concerned about how fairly and equally businesses are treated in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
During Tuesday’s committee of the whole planning meeting, the majority of councillors voted to extend the existing temporary patio program into December.
The extension will allow existing patios to remain in place until council can approve a new, permanent patio program.
Established in 2020, the patio plan was meant to support restaurants by allowing outdoor dining during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The current program only allows patios in the “urban area” of NOTL and no new permits were issued to businesses on Queen Street in 2024.
A vote to revisit the program and add amendments was defeated after it did not receive the required two-thirds majority vote.
A conversation about revisiting the plan was cut short after Coun. Erwin Wiens realized the vote to open discussion was miscounted.
Mavridis, however, expressed some concerns with how the town will move forward with the program — she said extending the program as is this year would give a leg up to “six or seven” businesses.
“To extend the patio program another year and say that other businesses still can’t apply, we are giving an advantage to (some) businesses that was an advantage to all businesses during COVID,” she said during the meeting.
Last term, Mavridis suggested sunsetting the temporary program until a permanent replacement is ready to be approved.
“I’ve already had two business owners on Queen Street— including my parents — ask ‘why (other businesses) get to continue to use extra seating and we don’t,’” Mavridis said.
Mavridis’ father Bob owns Corks Wine Bar & Eatery on Queen Street.
Coun. Adriana Vizzari asked staff to clarify when a new patio program will be ready for councillors to approve.
Vizzari said she was willing to approve the extension to ensure patios don’t have to be taken down, but would prefer flexibility in the coming months that would grant more businesses permits.
The current program in place expires at the end of next month and if it is not renewed, an entire new process will need to pass, said Kirsten McCauley, director of community and development services.
Planners hope to have an updated, permanent seasonal patio program ready for council in the coming months, McCauley said.
The seasonal program will allow patios outside of the urban area along with new permit applications. The program would run between April and October annually.
“I would like to say we will have something before council in February or March,” she said.
Council and staff will begin public engagement with businesses and the residents to get feedback on the upcoming permanent program, Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa said in an interview.
Before voting in favour of the extension, Zalepa said a vote in support is important to NOTL businesses.
“If we don’t approve this, we’re going to have people taking out their patios,” Zalepa said.