Supporting our Local Businesses

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.

New survey finds that CECRA does not have the backs of small businesses

Toronto, ON – A new survey of small business tenants and landlords across Toronto shows that the current Canadian Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program is not enough to keep small businesses alive during the COVID-19 pandemic.

503 businesses and 138 landlords took part in the survey which was coordinated by the Broadview-Danforth Business Improvement Area (BIA) and the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA). This is a follow up to the previous survey in April that showed rent relief was desperately needed.

City of Toronto announces plan to support retail stores re-opening for pickup and delivery service

News Release

May 8, 2020

City of Toronto announces plan to support retail stores re-opening for pickup and delivery service

As the Province of Ontario moves towards re-opening businesses, services and public spaces in stages, the City of Toronto today announced its plan to support retail stores as they re-open for curbside pickup and delivery on Monday.

Councillor Fletcher, MPP Tabuns call on Premier Ford to stop evictions of small business owners as rent is due for many on May 1

April 30, 2020 Beach Metro News

Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher and Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns have sent a joint letter to Premier Doug Ford calling on the province to put a moratorium on evictions of small business owners by commercial landlords.

The call comes as May 1 approaches, and many business owners who have been mandated to shut the doors of their businesses due to COVID-19 restrictions will be expected to pay their rents.