Business

Toronto Public Health provides expanded guidance to help prepare more businesses and locations for a safe reopening

Toronto Public Health has expanded the number of guidance documents available to help local businesses and community organizations to prepare for safe reopening when the city receives provincial approval for Stage 2 reopening. These documents will provide guidance on adjusting operations to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

There are 13,588 cases of COVID-19 in the city, an increase of 86 cases since yesterday. There are 284 people hospitalized, with 75 in ICU. In total 11,397 people have recovered from COVID-19, an increase of 202 cases since yesterday. To date, there have been 998 COVID-19 deaths in Toronto. Case status data can be found on the City’s reporting platform at https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/covid-19-status-of-cases-in-toronto/.

City of Toronto opens registration for CaféTO plan to safely increase outdoor dining space for local restaurants and bars

Today, Mayor John Tory announced that the City of Toronto is opening online registration for CaféTO.

A City staff report on CaféTO, scheduled for consideration at Executive Committee on June 22, proposes the City take quick action to make way for additional safe outdoor dining spaces for local restaurants and bars. A simple online registration form and guidebook for the proposed program is now available at http://www.toronto.ca/cafeTO.

Statement on Province's Commercial Eviction Ban

Since April 1^st, Main Street businesses in Toronto have been strongly urging the provincial and federal governments for commercial rent relief and a ban on commercial evictions. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, small businesses in Toronto-Danforth, across Toronto and across Ontario have been asking for help.

Six weeks ago on April 24^th the federal government announced the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small business, however the portal to apply did not open until May 25^th. Small businesses were left on their own to pay rent for May and June with no relief or protection.

City of Toronto launches CaféTO plan to help create more outdoor space for local restaurants and bars

Today, Mayor John Tory launched CaféTO a quick-start program that will make it easier for restaurant and bar owners to open patios, to expand them, and to access additional space for physical distancing and for that matter revenue generation during the summer months ahead.

The program will provide more outdoor dining areas by identifying space in the public right-of-way and expediting the current application and permitting process for sidewalk cafés and parklets.

Small businesses won't survive without immediate action as many landlords not applying for CECRA

For immediate release June 4, 2020

Toronto, ON – A new survey of small business tenants and landlords across Toronto, Ottawa and Guelph shows that many landlords are not applying for the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program, leaving many small business owners without support.

Small businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, forced to either close or offer curbside pick-up or delivery only. Their revenue has decreased drastically, but they still have to pay rent. On April 24^th the federal government announced CECRA for small business. A month later, on May 25^th, the portal to apply finally opened, much too late for many.

City working with large downtown employers to extend working from home efforts, invites public input on Recovery and Rebuild efforts

Mayor John Tory announced today that the City of Toronto and a number of the city’s other major downtown employers, as well as Toronto's post-secondary institutions, will continue to support employees, where possible, to work from home until September at the earliest.

This effort is part of the work the City is doing to keep pressure off the TTC and Metrolinx as we move into the restart and recovery period, along with the ActiveTO plan to build up Toronto's bike network and the strong recommendation for all people who travel on transit to wear a mask.

Toronto City Council approves 40 km of expanded and accelerated bike routes for ActiveTO

Toronto City Council today approved expanding and accelerating a total of 40 kilometres of the city’s cycling network as part of Toronto’s ActiveTO program.

This initiative includes approximately 25 kilometres of new bikeways along with the final approval and acceleration of 15-kilomtres of cycling routes previously planned for this year, for a total of approximately 40 kilometres of new on-street cycling lanes in 2020 to be installed.

Expanded patio space sought for Queen Street East and Danforth Avenue restaurants May 25, 2020

By Ali Raza, Beach Metro News May 25, 2020

Restaurants, bars, and cafés on Danforth Avenue and Queen Street East could get a desperately needed boost as the City of Toronto assesses the possibility of “outdoor dining districts” to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It might even involve closing down adjacent road lanes to allow adequate space for restaurants and bars to configure their seating in accordance to physical distancing guidelines to allow for sitting customers.

City of Toronto ActiveTO cycling network plan proposes 40 kilometres of expanded and accelerated routes

25-May-2020

Today, Mayor John Tory announced that a City of Toronto staff report scheduled for consideration by City Council later this week proposes that key parts of the cycling network be expanded, through accelerated installation of routes in the council-approved Cycling Network Plan, as part of the ActiveTO program.

During the April 30 Toronto City Council meeting, staff were requested to look at more active transportation as a crucial part of the city’s COVID-19 restart and recovery and in anticipation of changes in traffic patterns.

In My Opinion: Small businesses are at the heart of our neighbourhoods and they need to be protected

Thank you all for your tremendous efforts to keep you and your family and our communities safe during the pandemic.

It is an unprecedented time that has brought out the best in our communities – from staying home to keeping safe space when we go out, to sewing masks, to dropping off groceries and supplies, to keeping in touch with seniors and to banging pots and pans each night at 7:30 p.m. Let’s salute all of our heroes – from our front line health care workers to those who keep us safe and fed every day. You make us all so proud.