Coronavirus: City of Winnipeg extends temporary patio registration program for restaurants

With COVID-19 restaurant restrictions still in place, the City of Winnipeg is extending its temporary patio registration program through the upcoming summer season to help businesses pivot.

“The extension of the program will allow registered eligible businesses to operate under the summer temporary patio program from April 1st to October 31, 2021,” said the City of Winnipeg’s emergency operations centre manager, Jay Shaw.

Last year, 64 local businesses registered for operation under the new program. The city noted restaurants wanting to participate this year must submit a new registration form along with a processing fee, as previous temporary registration from 2020 will not carry forward.

In addition, any current winter temporary patio registrations will not be extended beyond their March 31 end date.

Restaurants without designated patios, or with a limited patio season will be able to apply.

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“With the six-foot distance rule in place, we can’t be packing tables (inside) in there, so anytime we can have room to expand, you know it’s going to keep more people employed,” said Jay Kilgour, franchise owner of both Fionn MacCool’s in Winnipeg.

“It’ll help us make back some of what we’ve lost over the year and you know it’s safer for everybody.”

Winnipeg restaurants can apply for a temporary patio licence by visiting the City of Winnipeg’s website.