Cutting red tape, eliminating fees and providing grants to create patio spaces key to helping local businesses

Surrey, B.C. (April 12, 2021): Surrey First Councillor Linda Annis says she will be supporting a staff report at today’s virtual council meeting that will improve the city’s Parking to Patios Program and includes major changes she pushed for on March 29.

“When I talked to our restaurants and pubs, they all said the original program launched last year was too costly and too full of red tape, it just wasn’t workable,” explained Annis. “As a result, while Vancouver created hundreds of new patios, Surrey had only 18. The staff report before council today includes grants of up to $3000 to create patios through the city’s existing Community Enhancement Partnership, and waiving the $200 application fee, $500 security deposit, and traffic and right of way permit fees. The city will also have a dedicated team to streamline the processing of applications.”

In her March 29 press release, Annis said she wanted city hall to “get behind the 2021 temporary patio program in a big way” because ongoing COVID-19 rules and regulations made outdoor patios more urgent than ever. Annis has publicly called for cutting the red tape, removing fees and giving businesses access to the $3000 grant program.

“Our hospitality industry has been the hardest hit by the pandemic and we should be doing everything we can to give our restaurants and pubs a fighting chance,” said Annis. “The revised program in front of council today goes a long way to making it easier, cheaper and faster for our local businesses to take advantage of patios as we head into the summer and fall.”

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Media contact:

Councillor Linda Annis

604-345-0211