City offers extended hours for this year’s patio season

The City of Vancouver wants people to enjoy an extra hour of patio time this summer.

Restaurants with patios can now apply to the city to keep their outdoor spaces open until 1 .a.m from April to October.

According to a release by the city, the “additional hour builds on the success of last year’s patio pilot program, which resulted in 115 establishments keeping their patios open on hour later than usual.”

The city started a patio hours extension pilot program in 2014 to improve the “patio experience” for customers and “enliven Vancouver’s streets.”

There are 298 active large patios and 301 active small patios that are considered eligible for the extension. Interested businesses can apply online and are required to have up-to-date insurance, all fees paid in full and no patio noise complaints on file in the last year.