TGIF: GILLINGHAM WANTS TO MAKE WINNIPEG “PATIO CITY”
Under mayoral candidate’s plan, Winnipeg restaurants that follow basic rules will have a ‘right’ tooffer patio service, rather than having to ask for permission
Creating more of an outdoor dining culture in Winnipeg and helping restaurant owners in theirlong recovery from the pandemic are the focus of mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham’s PATIOCITY concept.
In 2020, Winnipeg joined other cities in expediting patio permits to help restaurants surviveduring the pandemic. But other cities went further with their changes, and their reforms are nowpermanent. Winnipeg is now trailing many of its peers in permitting outdoor dining.
As Mayor, Scott Gillingham will change that. “Other candidates have talked about making iteasier for restaurants to ask for permission to build a patio,” he said. “I’ll introduce the PATIOCITY approach instead, so we’ll automatically allow restaurant owners to add outdoor diningspaces rather than forcing them to run through a gauntlet of regulations.”
PATIO CITY will include:
• Compliance instead of permission: restaurants adjoining a qualifying public or privateoutdoor space will automatically be entitled to offer patio service, provided basic ruleson noise, safety, emergency access, pedestrian access and access for people withdisabilities are observed. Spot checks will enforce those rules, with warnings for firstoffences. Provincial liquor and food safety laws will, as always, remain in effect.
• Easy registration: opening a qualifying patio will be legal in PATIO CITY as long asrestaurants notify the City via a free online form. Cost recovery will be achieved throughtax base growth (see final platform for details) and tougher fines for bona fide violations.Restaurants must provide proof of insurance coverage upon registration.
• Recommended design: other cities have offered standardized patio designs, approvedpatio kits and sample patio layouts to make compliance even easier; PATIO CITY will dothe same.
Gillingham introduced the PATIO CITY concept in a video shot this morning at Silver HeightsRestaurant in St. James. Owner Tony Siwicki endorsed Gillingham’s proposal.
“You can go through the entire patio season and still not have your patio inspected” under thecurrent rules, Siwicki explained. “But if it’s streamlined and you’re just able to push a button andhave a patio, more people would do it.
”Gillingham says PATIO CITY changes can happen quickly, and the benefits will be immediate.”These reforms can generate a real on-street economic boost based on what we’ve seen in othercities,” Gillingham said.
For more information: Colin Fast / 204-803-6406 / media@voteforscott.ca
