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Toronto City Council · 2021-05-05 · 2021.MM32.36

The filed record

Supporting Local Business in the Bazaar - by Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Brad Bradford

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The decision

2021-05-05 · Toronto City Council · adopted

As filed

City Council on May 5 and 6, 2021, adopted the following: 1. City Council request the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission to consider temporarily suspending the use of the Toronto Transit Commission stop on the south side of Gerrard Street East at Ashdale Avenue in order to accommodate curb lane cafes at that location as a part of CafeTO, and City Council request that the appropriate restaurateurs, Toronto

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Transit Commission staff, City staff and the Gerrard India Bazaar Business Improvement Area be advised of that decision as soon as possible.

On the agenda

As the city filed it

In the summer of 2020, the Toronto Transit Commission graciously agreed to temporarily suspend the use of the Toronto Transit Commission stop on the south side of Gerrard St. East at Ashdale Avenue in order to accommodate a few curb lane cafes in the Gerrard India Bazaar Business Improvement Area as part of CafeTO. The CafeTO program in 2020 provided a lifeline to many in the struggling hospitality industry and brought some joy to our pandemic weary city.

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After a long dreary winter of lockdown restrictions, local restaurants will need these expanded outdoor dining areas of CafeTO more than ever. Even with vaccine roll-out, there are many challenging months ahead. The design and implementation work for CafeTO has already started so that once it is deemed safe to do so by public health officials, open air, street side dining will once again enchant Toronto's neighbourhoods. However, there is an issue with a location that could support 4-5 restaurant patio locations like it did last summer. CafeTO staff have been unable to get Toronto Transit Commission confirmation that they will again temporarily suspend the streetcar stop at Gerrard St. East and Ashdale Avenue. So, as to maximize the time available for these cafes to operate and to provide these businesses some modicum of certainty in these very trying times, it would be helpful to have this matter clarified as soon as possible. This Motion is urgent as planning for CafeTO has already begun and it is important to get a decision quickly so as to maximize the potential benefits of CafeTO to local businesses, which like so many have been hit very hard by this pandemic.

Staff recommended

Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Brad Bradford, recommends that: 1. City Council request the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Transit Commission to consider temporarily suspending the use of the Toronto Transit Commission stop on the south side of Gerrard St. East at Ashdale Avenue in order to accommodate curb lane cafes at that location as a part of CafeTO, and City Council request that the appropriate

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restaurateurs, Toronto Transit Commission staff, City staff and the Gerrard India Bazaar Business Improvement Area be advised of that decision as soon as possible.

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