In May of 2020, cities across BC unveiled a unique policy to provide restaurants with the ability to temporarily use outdoor areas for customer seating.
“We want as many restaurants as possible to participate in the City’s expanded patio program in 2021,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade. “But it has to be easy for them to apply, with a low-cost permit, expedient application approvals. Customized patio solutions are need as well. This is an industry that has been one of the hardest hit – they need solutions.”
With limits to restaurant seating expected to continue because of COVID-19 restrictions, these businesses need customized solutions given their location, limited outdoor expansion options, and parking requirements in order to survive the Spring, Summer and the early Fall season. Landlords could also work with the City of Surrey and their restaurant tenants to free up space, create solutions around parking, install concrete letdowns for sidewalks where needed, signage, and so forth. Surrey needs way more than the 12 restaurants that participated in the program last year.
Our members haven’t heard about the City of Surrey patio program this year – but the Surrey Board of Trade says now is the time to plan, apply, and consider solutions. The experience of being at restaurants is a part of making Surrey an opportunity city for the young, families and seniors – and our workforce.
When the Parking to Patio Program was introduced last year, it came with a $200 application fee. Additionally, a $500 damage deposit, $500 traffic control fee for local and low-volume roads; and $1,400 per parking stall on busier roads for the installation of Jersey safety barriers, were all split 50/50 with the City. The cost for many restaurants was just too high. The Surrey Board of Trade is once again asking the City to waive these fees.
Over 10,000 restaurants have shut down across Canada.
Applications can be submitted to the permitapplication@surrey.ca email box which is monitored to ensure patio and parking reconfiguration permits are prioritized.
Information on the permit application process can be found here https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/media/documents/ParkingToPatioAndSidewalkQueuingSpaceProgram.pdf
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Anita Huberman, 604-634-0342, anita@businessinsurrey.com
