Two Ottawa councillors are calling for a review of the city’s fees for businesses to set up patios on municipal property. Some restaurant owners have raised concerns about the cost of fees for operating patios, which have returned to pre-pandemic levels. The City of Ottawa lifted patio fees in 2020, 2021 and 2022 to provide relief to restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. The fees were 50 per cent of pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and 75 per cent in 2024. In a motion for Wednesday’s council meeting, coun. Allan Hubley and Tim Tierney recommend the city conduct a “comprehensive review” of patio fees and a “comparative analysis relative to other large Canadian municipalities” with Right of Way patio fees. The motion directs staff to report back in time for the debate on the 2026 city budget. The motion notes the current patio fee structure was implemented in 2017, and has not been reviewed since. “An updated analysis would be in order to ensure that Ottawa Right of Way patio fees remain competitive in relation to other large municipalities throughout Ontario and Canada, including both application processing and occupancy fees,” says the motion from Hubley and Tierney. Businesses must obtain a Right of Way patio permit from the city to put outdoor seating on municipal property. Permits are issued for the summer between April 1 and October 31, while a winter patio permit runs from November 1 to March 31. A restaurant or bar owner pays a monthly rate per square meter, with fees of $15.91 in Ottawa. In Toronto, the patio fee is $37.71 plus HST, while Montreal charges $15 per square meter. According to the city website, there is also a $76 permit processing fee charged to the business. Pub Italia owner Joe Catroneo told CTV News Ottawa last month that his patio fees went from approximately $6,000 a year to $8,000 as the city eliminated the discount. “I don’t think those patio fees should be anywhere close to that, for our part, that we do in beautifying the street,” Catroneo said. With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Josh Marano
