Background - Pop-up Retail Display and Vending

With limited indoor capacities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the City gave the opportunity to retailers to expand their sales capacity by issuing café seating style permit to allow them to sell their merchandise on the sidewalk as part of the 2022 Patio Innovation Program. To allow a pop-up retail vending program in perpetuity, amendments to the City’s Use and Care of Roads By-law are required. Staff are working to develop a clear and simplified approach to permit pop-up retail display and vending within the ROW. Simplified alternative approaches to allow for limited daily retail display and vending in the ROW are being reviewed and evaluated to provide a more appropriate solution for business operators going forward. Staff will be engaging with the public, retail community and internal stakeholders to develop appropriate standards and process for pop-up retail display and vending. Given the outcomes of this review, staff will propose either a new pilot program for 2023 with subsequent reporting or permanent amendments to the Use and Care of Roads By-law.