The restaurant industry plays a large role in Toronto's unique culture, booming economy and tourism industry. These establishments help the city thrive, but have sadly faced nearly two years of restrictions and setbacks. For many, the CaféTO program is the only thing bringing the promise of a successful 2022, and registration is now open.
CaféTO was initially launched by the City of Toronto in 2020 in an effort to help keep restaurants operating during 'unprecedented' waves and lockdowns brought about by Covid-19. After being deemed a great success in 2020 and 2021, CaféTO announced that it will return in 2022, and restaurant owners are ecstatic.
Toronto is a haven for food lovers. No matter which neighbourhood you stroll through, you'll find an abundance of restaurants, bars, pubs, clubs, coffee shops and other hidden gems tucked away in all corners of the city. While many local restaurants had patio arrangements in place prior to the first wave of the pandemic, several establishments did not have permanent patios and relied solely on indoor dining, which has continually been restricted and limited for most of the pandemic. When indoor dining wasn't an option, takeout was the only way most could keep their business in operation. Many were left scrambling and given few options until CaféTO was launched.
CaféTO is a program designed to permit licensed food and drink establishments to temporarily expand their seating during the warmer months. Sidewalk cafés and curb lane cafés are both options for establishments applying for a CaféTO permit, depending on the location and space available. CaféTO also welcomes applications for private property patios, such as parking lots.
This initiative not only brought more customers to restaurants that otherwise wouldn't have had outdoor seating, but it delivered hope to many businesses, especially ones who saw a decline in customers even before the pandemic began.
Dana, the owner of The Gull and Firkin located in the Beaches at 1943 Queen Street East, stated that CaféTO was "the best thing" to happen to her business in 2021.
"We were busier than we were pre-Covid. It saved us during these difficult times. It also helped the area, too. The area had been declining before the pandemic, and because of CaféTO, it was thriving again. People would come to sit on the [curb lane/sidewalk] patios after a day at the beach, and even at night they were busy with barhoppers. It saved us," Dana says.
Hers is just one of many establishments in Toronto's east end that took advantage of CaféTO in the past two years.
On the other end of Queen Street is Banu, located at 777 Queen Street West, a Persian eatery and market in the heart of the Trinity Bellwoods neighbourhood that is excited to take part in CaféTO again this spring.
"CaféTO meant the world to us as owners, but also, as patrons during the pandemic," says Banu co-owner Samira Mohyeddin. "It made us scratch our heads and wonder why Toronto didn't already have this. The city felt alive and we loved seeing all the different ways restaurants dressed up their street set-up. We hope it never stops."
Several blocks north of Queen Street, The Piston, located at 937 Bloor Street West, is a nightclub and bar that utilized the space that they wouldn't have had access to if not for CaféTO
Being an event hot-spot that relied on their indoor space prior to the pandemic, The Piston found that CaféTO "helped maintain DJ events", as they were able to host the entertainers at their front window for patio customers to enjoy. Although they noted that they didn't see an influx in new customers as The Gull and Firkin did, The Piston explained that they had a "solid crowd of regulars" throughout the warmer months of the pandemic, thanks to CaféTO.
Without a doubt, CaféTO has been a successful program across the city, and many (owners, staff and patrons alike) are optimistic that 2022's patio season will be just as successful as 2021. This program offers the opportunity for stability and a safe, consistent flow of customers who otherwise wouldn't be able to visit the restaurant during times when public health forbids indoor dining. CaféTO has given people the opportunity to connect and dine with others, enjoy time outdoors in their city, and most notably, it has saved many businesses.
If you haven't registered for CaféTO in the past, the process is easy, and you have until April 2 to submit your information. All rules and instructions can be found on the City of Toronto website.
If you've been one of the hundreds of establishments to take part in CaféTO in the past and are excited to re-register, you should note that the CaféTO Property Improvement Plan was announced in mid-January.
This plan is new for 2022 and aims to help businesses cover some improvement costs, whether they be structural, security-related or for better accessibility on their temporary patios.
"Café operators are now eligible for a matching grant of up to $7,500 to cover 50 per cent of the cost of eligible property or site improvements related to curb lane café installations, sidewalk cafés or patios on private property," reads the City of Toronto website.
If all goes as planned, restaurants taking part in the CaféTO program will likely be able to begin operation on their sidewalk and/or curb lane patios by mid-spring and it's safe to say that all of Toronto is eagerly awaiting the first CaféTO day of 2022.
