Are you making changes to your curb lane café?
Operators who require changes to their curb lane design should:
Please note: Operators will also need to submit an updated accessible platform design for approval.
All CaféTO curb lane cafés require the installation of a temporary accessible platform.
Download CaféTO Curb Lane Café Guidebook
City staff will communicate the date they close the curb lane by installing safety and traffic equipment for your café permit space. Temporary platforms are only permitted to be installed during the café season and must be removed before your scheduled curb lane café removal date. You are responsible for the disassembly, removal and storage of your platform, at your own cost, in the event of planned or emergency capital or utility work, as directed by the General Manager of Transportation Services, or their delegate.
In 2023, Council approved a partial cost-recovery fee structure, with a three-year phase-in schedule, for application and permit fees.
This fee is not charged when a permit is renewed.
In 2024, a one-time (non-refundable) transfer fee of $338.13 is charged each time a permit is transferred. For a permit transfer to be approved, it must meet the requirements set out in the Chapter 742. For more information and to initiate the permit transfer, please email City staff.
Seasonal permit fees for curb lane cafes are based on a café’s size (measured in square metres). A seasonal permit fee must be paid each year. In 2024, the seasonal permit fee for a curb lane café is $87.40 per square metre (m²), or approximately 11 square feet (ft²). Fees will be determined by the size of your curb lane café.
| Year | Cost per square metre |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $87.40 |
| 2025 | $132.42 |
All operators must submit a Certificate of Insurance issued by your insurer for $2,000,000.00 General Liability with the City listed as additional insured. The Name of the Insured must match the Legal Name on your Municipal Business Licence.
| Action | Time |
|---|---|
| Permit applications and renewals | Closed on March 1 at 11:59 p.m. |
| Platform designs due | As soon as possible |
| 90% of curb lane cafés open | Victoria Day weekend (May 17 to 20) |
| Deadline for platform installation | June 1 |
| Removal of operators’ curb lane café patio and platforms | By October 15 |
It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure compliance with all Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) regulations as well as adhere to any conditions on their liquor sales licence. Restaurant and bar operators wishing to apply for permanent changes to liquor licences will still need to apply for approvals through the AGCO.
Permit holders must notify the AGCO of your approval, the duration of your approval and any conditions on the approval.
In 2022, the provincial government amended Regulation 746/21 to the Liquor Licence and Control Act to establish new options for approving temporary outdoor physical extensions, which took effect January 1, 2023. The new framework replaces the temporary AGCO policy that was in place between 2020 and 2022 and allows the City to approve temporary outdoor physical extensions if the establishment has an existing permanent liquor sales licence and the extended licensed area is adjacent 10 metres or less to the existing licensed establishment.
Learn about the New Framework for Temporary Outdoor Physical Extensions (Temporary Patios) at the AGCO.