Tecumseh Town Council has given restaurants and bars the go-ahead to open up patios to serve patrons.
Restaurants and bars across the province were closed back in mid-March because of the COVID-19 pandemic for in-house service. Under stage two of the province's plan to reopen the economy, service on patios, with social distancing measures, are allowed.
While establishments in much of the province have been open for weeks, Windsor and much of Essex County only moved to Stage 2 as of midnight on Thursday. Leamington and Kingsville remain at Stage 1.
Councillors also gave restaurants and bars with existing patios approval to extend their outdoor seating.
Administration in Tecumseh developed the Temporary Outdoor Patio Guidelines to help restaurants and bars establish their temporary patios on private and public property. Before they are allowed to open, they will need to be inspected. Those businesses will also have to cover the cost of creating or extending patios themselves, but fees associated with the application process have been waived.
The change is only temporary. It will end on January 1, 2021, at 3 a.m.
Last week, the Town of Essex began preparations for outdoor patios. Applications have been open since June 19. The town is also offering businesses grants of up to $4,000 to cover the cost of creating outdoor spaces.
In Windsor, city council will hold a special meeting Thursday night to discuss a pilot project to create curbside cafes in Walkerville and patio projects elsewhere in the city.
