Dear editor:

Scott Gauld’s views on Niagara-on-the-Lake’s patios (“Vast majority support NOTL’s temporary patios,” March 28) are biased by the fact he is one of the owners of the Sunset Grill on Queen Street.

In my original letter (“Temporary patios filthy and attract vermin,” March 21), I did not mean the policy that distributes patio licences is unfair to restaurants, or their owners. It is unfair to all businesses that don’t happen to be restaurants.

Some of the patios are, in fact, filthy. Skunks and other vermin have indeed taken up residence under some.

Toronto has not kept its street patios. All COVID-era patios that were built on roads during the pandemic have been removed.

Only a few sidewalk patios remain. The ugly NOTL patios are partly parked on roads.

I have not seen the 2023 survey, to which Mr. Gauld refers, but I know that a sample size of 390 is not representative of the hundreds of thousands who visit the region or live here.

I still say that NOTL’s patios are ugly, cheaply built and poorly maintained — and sit empty for most months of the year.

Rob Bongard
Toronto