Sidewalk sale application guidelines

Purpose
It is the display and sale of merchandise from a stand on the City sidewalk or boulevard fronting your store. This does not apply to shopping centres, plazas, and malls.

When to apply
Once you decide to have a sidewalk sale, you must advise the City of Toronto of your proposal at least eight weeks before the actual date of your event. This will ensure that sufficient sidewalk or boulevard space to accommodate your display stand(s) so as not to impede pedestrian traffic.

Who can apply
Only owners/occupants of the ground floor of the building designated for commercial/industrial purposes qualify to have a sidewalk sale.

Fees
There is no application fee. However, if your application is approved you will be charged a permit fee ($261.37 + HST) for each period of three days or parts thereof. You can pay the permit fee by cheque or money order payable to the Treasurer, City of Toronto. We also accept Visa, MasterCard or American Express.

If the City of Toronto grants permission to hold the sidewalk sale, the applicant will be responsible for the costs associated in carrying out the following items:

• Pay for additional costs incurred by the City of Toronto
• Hire a private garbage collection company or arrange for volunteers to collect and remove garbage accumulated during and after the event
• Provide a Certificate of Insurance to the City of Toronto.

Pertinent information
Merchandise sold within the store can only be displayed in front of your store and does not block any entrances/exits to your building or your neighbour's property.

These items must be placed on a display stand constructed of wood with epoxy resin paint, stainless steel, galvanized metal, plastic fiberglass, aluminum or steel with baked enamel finish. The merchandise must be displayed a minimum of 0.61 metres above ground level. The area under the stand must be kept clear at all times.

The stand must be at least 2.13 m (7.0 feet) from the curb of the roadway or at a further distance from the roadway as determined by the City. This allows pedestrians to pass by.

Remember no curbside display of merchandise is allowed because it reduces the amount of walking area available for pedestrians and creates an obstruction to passengers exiting their vehicles.

If you are planning to serve food, you must comply with the regulations outlined by Public Health.

Refusal of permit
The application for a sidewalk sale can be denied if an objection cannot be resolved under the following situations:

1. Written objection is received from an area resident or business proprietor directly affected by the sale; and
2. Objection is received from a respondent to the circulation of the application

The applicant has the right to appeal the refusal of the application by writing to Community Council outlining the reasons why the application meets the criteria of the by-law.

Contact information