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Here are the rules for Ottawa restaurant patios when they reopen on Friday

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OTTAWA -

Bar and restaurant patios will open in Ottawa on Friday morning as Ontario enters Step One of its reopening plan.

The city confirms patios will be allowed to open at 12:01 a.m. Friday morning, and serve alcohol until 2 a.m.

Up to four people may sit at each table on a patio, unless its members of the same household.

Here's a look at the rules for food and drink establishments starting Friday.

PATIOS OPEN

Restaurants, bars, food trucks, concession stands and other food and drink establishments may open for outdoor dining.

Indoor dining and buffet-style service will not be permitted.

OPERATING HOURS

Patios can open at 12:01 a.m. Friday morning. 

Last call at patios, including those set up on city of Ottawa streets and sidewalks, is 2 a.m. seven days a week.

In a memo to council, city staff said the province’s plan no longer requires food and drink establishments to close by a certain hour.

"Effective June 11 at 12:01 a.m., these businesses will be permitted to remain open for outdoor dining and alcohol service until 2 a.m., in accordance with their liquor licence and the Right of Way Patio Bylaw."

In March, council approved a 2 a.m. last call on all city patios this year.

FOUR PER TABLE

Under Step One, no more than four people are permitted to be seated together at an outdoor table.

The city of Ottawa says more than four people are permitted to be seated at the same outdoor table if they are members of the same household, and/or a member of up to one other household who lives alone.

PATIO RULES

The city says patrons must remain seated at all times in any outdoor dining area except:

  • While entering/exiting the area and while moving to their table
  • While placing, picking up, or paying for an order
  • While going to or returning from a washroom
  • While lining up to do any of the actions listed above
  • Where necessary for the purposes of health and safety

The outdoor dining area must be configured in a manner to ensure that patrons seated at different tables are separated by a distance of at least two metres, or plexiglass or some other impermeable barrier.

Masks must be worn when entering, exiting or walking through the establishment (i.e. when getting up from seat to go to the washroom or to pay).

The city memo said no patron is permitted to line up or congregate outside of the establishment unless they are maintaining a physical distance of at least two metres from other groups of persons inside or outside of the establishment.

Other rules:

  • Music must not be played at a decibel level that exceeds the level at which normal conversation is possible
  • No person shall dance, sing or perform music at the establishment
  • If an outdoor dining area at the establishment is covered by a roof, canopy, tent, awning or other element, at least two sides of the entire outdoor drinking area must be open to the outdoors and must not be substantially blocked by any walls or other impermeable physical barriers.

CAPACITY

The city of Ottawa says the total number of patrons permitted to be seated outdoors at the establishment must be limited to the number that can maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from every other person at the establishment.

CONTACT TRACING

The city of Ottawa says establishments must record the name and contact information of every patron that enters the establishment, unless the patron temporarily enters to pick up or pay for a takeout order.

Names and contact information must be kept for a period of at least one month and must only be disclosed to the medical officer of health or an inspector under the Health Protection and Promotion Act on request.

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