Marketing displays are used to display and sell goods, food or merchandise outside a commercial or industrial premise on a city owned property or sidewalk. Goods in the display must be similar to those that are sold in the adjacent business.
Sidewalk marketing displays are used to display and sell goods, food or merchandise outside a commercial or industrial premise. Goods in the display must be similar to those that are sold in the adjacent business.
Individuals, partnerships or corporations
Review the regulations in the new bylaw for marketing displays.
Download the application guide to review the requirements for your permit
One piece of valid government issued identification is required for an officer or signing authority (for corporations), who appears on the Primary Business Licence.
All applications must include:
Note:
Submit the following with your application if the proposed marketing display will have an awning:
A description of merchandise to be displayed.
All applications must include:
Proof of at least $2,000,000 of comprehensive insurance against loss or damage resulting from bodily injury to or death of one or more persons, or from loss of or damage to property resulting from any one accident.
The completed Certificate of Insurance must be signed and stamped by the insurer. The Certificate must be sent by email to MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca directly from the Insurance Representative.
The Licence and Permit Issuing Office at the East York Civic Centre is closed due to COVID-19. Businesses requiring licences and/or permits from the City of Toronto can apply via a new online application portal.
Licence application and renewal fees must be paid online. Please have all required documents ready to upload before starting the application, as it requires 10-15 minutes to complete and cannot be saved.
If you have already submitted an application you may upload additional documents using your upload token.
There are two permit fee zones:
Fee Zone | Marketing Display ($/m2) |
---|---|
Central Zone | $70.49 |
Outer Zone | $43.08 |
ML&S shall deny an application for, or a renewal, for all businesses required to be licenced under this chapter that has:
Despite these screening criteria, if a licence has been previously issued or renewed and the applicant’s or licensee’s record discloses no new breach of the screening criteria, the licence may be issued or renewed without the matter being referred to the Toronto Licensing Tribunal.
These screening criteria do not apply to any offence for which a licensee or applicant has been granted a criminal record suspension (i.e. a pardon) by the Parole Board of Canada.
Applications take six to eight weeks to process. Staff will contact you via email or hard copy letter with instructions once your application has been approved.
Your permit will expire annually on the anniversary of the date that the permit was first issued.
The renewal fee will be calculated based on a variety of factors, including where your patio will be located.
A renewal notice, identifying any documents required to renew the permit, will be mailed to the address on file.
You must continue to provide proof of $2,000,000 in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. The completed Certificate of Insurance must be signed and stamped by the insurer. The Certificate must be sent by email to MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca directly from the Insurance Representative.
If you fail to renew your permit according to the bylaw, your permit will be cancelled and you will have to reapply.