Council Approves Elimination of Sidewalk Cafe Fees for 2020 Season
City Hall will not be collecting patio rental fees from cafés and restaurants in 2020. Application fees, licence renewal fees, and rental fees for any café or restaurant will be waived. At the April 27th Regular Meeting of Council, Mayor McCormick introduced a Notice of Motion to eliminate the fees which was unanimously passed by Council.
“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, when restaurants and cafes do open, they will no doubt be facing tough physical distancing requirements. In most cases, those requirements will see their inside seating reduced by 50%,” said McCormick. “Council hopes this elimination of fees will help them move tables and patrons outside when possible and thereby reduce the already devastating impact the pandemic is having on their business. Though we are unsure when restaurants will be able to open their doors again, we look forward to helping to ease the transition when it is safe to do so.”
Restaurant and café owners will still be required to meet the guidelines and submit an application to City Hall but no fees will be collected for the 2020 summer season. The Sidewalk Café Application Guide can be found here: https://kimberley.civicweb.net/document/46740.
