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By Dylana Kneeshaw

TEMPORARY PATIO PERMITS

With temporary permits set to expire, Kamloops businesses await City’s plan for patio season

Mar 11, 2022 | 4:10 PM

KAMLOOPS — The temperature may not be there yet, but businesses in Kamloops are trying to figure out what this summer’s patio season will look like.

More than 2,000 restaurants and businesses in B.C. took part in temporary patio permits last year. But the Temporary Expanded Service Area (TESA) authorizations are set to expire June 1 and the province wants businesses to re-apply for permanent outdoor permits.

In an email to CFJC Today, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General says it has heard that the June deadline is too soon for some licensees and local governments to get patio policies in place and applications submitted.

The ministry adds work is underway to find options that would address the need for extra time.

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“The problem that we have is the City of Kamloops isn’t sure if they’re going to keep the patio outclaves that are there right now,” says Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association (KCBIA) President Dino Bernardo. “The City of Kamloops has done a great job in supporting small business during the pandemic. We’re just not sure what that’s going to look like moving forward. And I’m not sure if the city is making a decision before the fall, but the provincial government is asking us to make these applications now.”

The KCBIA says businesses can still apply for the permanent permits and Bernardo says they wouldn’t have to pay that permit cost until approval came from the municipality.

However, it’s not clear whether the city would continue with the TESA program yet, given the reduced amount of parking spaces and parking revenue.

“It’s a huge cost to the City and, with the pandemic, I’m sure there’s not a lot of money that the City has in order to do these structures. They voted last year to leave them up to save that cost,” explains Bernardo. “Again, you’re also fighting the fact that there’s some businesses downtown that have lost parking spots and they’re not happy about it.”

Bernardo adds the KCBIA is keeping in touch with the City of Kamloops as more information is gathered around the pros and cons of maintaining last year’s amount of patio permits.