Toronto business owner Nick Lui reports an alarming increase in CafeTO patio fees, which rose from $900 to nearly $1,900 this year. Since its inception in 2020 to support restaurants through COVID-19, the program has become permanent, but the fee hike raises concerns among small business owners. Lui advocates for more support from the city, claiming such expenses threaten the viability of restaurants. Mayor Olivia Chow emphasizes the city's need to balance cost sharing while continuing to offer subsidies to help businesses thrive.
We're going through a tough time, all these extra costs affect the bottom line. When you're a small business, especially like a restaurant, your margins are pretty small.
This is something to help the restaurant, not just something to make money for the government.
We are still subsidizing these small businesses because it's important to generate support, but we just don't want to do 100 percent of it.
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