City extending patio season with portable heaters

With the mercury beginning to drop, the City of Toronto has announced plans to allow portable heaters on all outdoor patios and CaféTO curb lane closures.

This move is in an effort to keep outdoor dining spaces open longer, to encourage physical distancing, and to provide additional support for local restaurants.

The city said the portable heating devices, which include fire-fuelled appliances, will be allowed on all patios, sidewalks, and curb lane cafés.

“We are doing everything we can to support our local restaurant industry. I heard this request from the restaurant industry and took action to help allow portable heaters to safely keep CaféTO installations and patios warm, even in late October and November, to help extend the season. I want to thank City staff for working to find a way to make this possible to help restaurants as much as we can right now,” said Mayor John Tory

It said the guidelines for safe use was developed by the Toronto Fire Services, and will be available to operators on Friday, adding those locations will be monitored for safe use and enforced by City bylaw officers and TFS staff.

If you’re a restaurant operator who had an application in for a heater to be approved for the patio, the city said the new guidelines streamline that process and the documentation is no longer needed at this time.

The CaféTO program was approved in the summer, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to support restaurants across the city, which includes more than 400 curb lane closures and sidewalk cafes.

The City is planning an online survey to gather feedback from Toronto restaurant operators in the program, and patrons who dined at those locations, to use that information in future decision making.