The government has still not specified anything regarding the reopening of the restaurants, even though a lot of work is being done behind the scenes right now. It is therefore an ideal time for institutions to make their ideas known and to submit specific requests. There is one, among others, that is gaining ground: closing the streets to cars to allow the widening of terraces.
Slowly but surely, this idea is gaining ground, and not only in Quebec. The initiative has been implemented in a few major cities, especially in Europe at the moment. Elsewhere, the preferred option was to cede public spaces to transform them into restaurant terraces.
The objective is obviously to allow consumers to respect physical distance from other customers. For restaurateurs, this would also allow them to welcome more customers and thus make their businesses a little more profitable.
Certain boroughs of Montreal have already announced the pedestrianization of some of their streets to allow the extension of the terraces.
In Quebec, certain parking spaces are reserved for queues for access to shops. It is therefore likely that the same principle will apply to terraces the day the government announces more complete deconfinement measures for restaurateurs.
Also in the National Capital, the annual price of the permit to operate a terrace has also been lowered: from $ 3,000 to $ 50.
Also, pop-up spaces and even street trucks will be allowed in more places.
Each special permission must be voted by the various municipal administrations and they are already preparing for it.