As spring begins to lure more people outdoors, Coquitlam is encouraging businesses to take advantage of the opportunity to expand their services outside.
COQUITLAM, B.C., March 29, 2021 – As spring begins to lure more people outdoors, Coquitlam is encouraging businesses to take advantage of the opportunity to expand their services outside.
The City’s Temporary Outdoor Business Space program, launched in 2020 to provide more space for physical distancing, remains in place in 2021 to support businesses and help them continue to keep their staff and customers safe.
The program provides a simple expedited process for businesses to expand outdoors into their own property or adjacent public rights-of-way – including sidewalks or curbside parking stalls – for such uses as restaurant seating, merchandise racks and tables, pick-up and drop-off kiosks, and checkout desks.
Requirements Eased to Support Business
The program’s simplified application process fast-tracks the approval process and suspends a number of typical requirements, such as building permits, site review and business licence amendments. Applications are submitted and tracked online, with approval typically taking two business days for completed application packages with simple activation.
Opportunities for outdoor uses include simple patios with a few chairs and tables, check out kiosks, awnings to shelter products and customers, and more elaborate spaces with platforms, planter boxes, lights and other features.
The program helped approximately 20 businesses weather the challenges of the pandemic last year; those who received permits in 2020 will not need to reapply in 2021. A future phase being considered for 2022 could include special events and activations on City-controlled property such as parklets, street closures and temporary markets.
The program’s administration costs and reduced fees are subsidized by Coquitlam’s COVID-19 Community Support & Recovery Plan (CSRP), established in 2020 to foster community resilience and recovery by providing relief and support to all sectors. Learn more at www.coquitlam.ca/csrp.
Guidelines, information and application links are available at www.coquitlam.ca/patios. Inquiries can be emailed to patio@coquitlam.ca. For a map of Coquitlam restaurants with patios, visit www.visitcoquitlam.ca/eat-drink.
Other Business Resources and Information
Media contact:
Curtis Scott
Manager, Land Development
Acting Manager, Economic Development
City of Coquitlam
604-927-6965
cscott@coquitlam.ca