New patio fee proposed in 2015 Winnipeg budget

Ben Miljure, CTV Winnipeg Published Monday, March 9, 2015 4:15PM CST Last Updated Monday, March 9, 2015 4:22PM CST

Gloomy winter days in Winnipeg make it hard to imagine a vibrant social scene on city sidewalks but in the summer thats exactly what youll find downtown, in the Exchange District and on Corydon Avenue.

"It's awesome, said Alfonso Maury, owner of Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria. In a city that you sometimes have six months that you can't go outside to have a patio, and particularly in the downtown area, it's gorgeous."

Currently, restaurants with patios pay application fees to the city up front the first year they apply and then additional monthly fees whenever the patio is open.

Now, the legal services section of the citys 2015 budget includes yet another fee.

New patio applications will require an additional $1,160 up front to cover city legal costs.

The citys legal services department said the new fee fits in with city-wide plans to find savings in the city budget by recovering costs directly from people and businesses that utilize services.

"That's a big one and I think some business owners might have a problem with that, said Melanie Andrushko of the Downtown Biz. There's already quite a fee associated with the patios so anything above that might be a problem for some businesses - especially smaller ones."

Andrushkos role at the Downtown Biz involves helping businesses navigate the red tape at city hall to obtain patio licenses.

She worries the new fee will mean fewer patios which is exactly the opposite of what shed like to see.

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New patio fee proposed in 2015 Winnipeg budget