OTTAWA -- Mayor Jim Watson is asking city staff to fast-track the start of patio season to help bars and restaurants when Ottawa moves into the red zone.
New restrictions on bars and restaurants will be imposed at 12:01 a.m. Friday when Ottawa moves into the "Red-Control" zone. Under the red restrictions, bars and restaurants are limited to a maximum of 10 patrons indoors.
Outdoor dining is allowed under Red-Control zone in Ontario's COVID-19 reopening framework.
In a message on Twitter, Watson said any restaurant/business that had a patio last summer or this winter can set up starting today using the same plan.
Watson says establishments must have the required proof of insurance and respect the accessibility standards.
Council approved "2021 Patio Innovation Program" for bar and restaurant patios this spring and summer. The rules include staff authorizing the closure of any city road for patios.
The Patio Innovation Program allows bar and restaurant patios set up on city property to remain open until 2 a.m., as long as Ottawa is in the green zone.
Under the Red-Control restrictions, last call at bars and restaurants is at 9 p.m. and all establishments must close at 10 p.m.
"What I indicated to our staff is how can we help the industry that's probably the hardest hit as a result of going into red; that is the restaurant business," said Watson during an interview on CTV News at Noon.
"So we've pushed ahead by two weeks the patio season, so that patios can start opening up. We have some warm weather coming on Saturday and Sunday, and it's our hope that will help stave off some of the bankruptcies and some of the tremendous losses that industry has suffered over the pandemic."
One business told CTV News Ottawa they had already purchased $3,000 worth of food and supplies for the weekend, expecting a maximum of 50 people indoors instead of 10.
"This has happened before. We've tried to argue the point, and the restaurant industry to their credit has tried to argue the point as well – they bring their orders in, they have food knowing that there's going to be another weekend of business and then that doesn’t happen," said Watson.
"Hopefully with the warmer weather coming and the patio season opening sooner, we're going to be able to at least help them a little bit."
The mayor urges residents to support local businesses with takeout and delivery or visiting a patio as the weather gets warmer.
