Vancouver patio permits too slow, too expensive, says business group

The City of Vancouver’s sidewalk patio permit process is the costliest in Western Canada, according to a business advocacy group.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says businesses seeking a first-time sidewalk patio in Vancouver can find themselves on the hook for up to $1,451.

The group compared that to Winnipeg and Saskatoon, which have made sidewalk patio permits completely free.

A first-time permit in Calgary is $116, while it costs just over $400 in Edmonton. Even Toronto is cheaper, at about $900.

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Along with higher costs, Vancouver lags behind other jurisdictions in permit processing time, the group said, with permits taking up to four weeks in Vancouver, compared to Winnipeg where they’re turned around in one day.

“It’s cost, it’s something that will come at the end of the table and take away from our profit,” said Kasra Roghanian, owner of Papa’s Gourmet Pizza on Main Street.

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The business paid about $400 for its three-table summer patio.

“Clearly there is always more that we can be doing,” Vancouver Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung said.

Kirby-Yung said she’s asked for a review of the city’s patio fees to ensure Vancouver is competitive, but added the current fee structure is based on cost recovery.

In a statement, Vancouver’s associate director of street use management Danielle Wiley said the city was currently reviewing its patio program, including permit fees and design and accessibility guidelines.

The review will go to council late this year with changes possible early next year.

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“As part of an ongoing review of the City of Vancouver Patio Program, staff have reviewed patio permit fees in 21 Canadian municipalities; 10 in Metro Vancouver and 11 in peer municipalities across Canada,” Wiley said.

“Outside of the region, peer municipalities across Canada with patio programs of comparable scale, such as Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary, have similar or higher permit fees.”

According to the city 326 breweries, restaurants and cafés in Vancouver operate a year-round sidewalk patio, while another 238 set one up for the summer.

-With files from Kristen Robinson