City of Orillia Patio and Public Realm Program

Existing patios which have received formal municipal approval (such as through a Site Plan Agreement process) do not require further approval unless a patio expansion is proposed. 

All other patios within the City of Orillia require municipal approval. Applicants may request approval for patios on private property through the Patio Acknowledgement and Undertaking Form. Through this form, applicants will have the opportunity to review and attest that they meet all provisions, by-laws and legislation for which the municipality has authority. 

Please refer to the following section for patio approval for patios proposed on municipally owned land.

It should be noted that while this form is designed to expedite the patio approval process, it is difficult to determine the estimated approval timeline for patio approvals as timelines for any permits or applications are greatly dependent on the quality and completion of the application and the extent of information provided by the applicant.  

Any person wishing to set up a patio on City property must submit a Patio Acknowledgement and Undertaking Form to the City. A detailed, scaled drawing depicting the sidewalk patio must be submitted with the application. The drawing must show the number of proposed seats on the patio, dimensions of proposed patio area, width of pedestrian walkway, gap width between deck boards for the walkway, existing sidewalk, curb, parking spaces, street and any applicable items/encumbrances such as signs, stairs, trees, catch basin, and gas meter. Reflective decals are required on each post of the pedestrian walkway and therefore, please also identify the decal locations on the drawing. A detailed drawing enables City staff and others to evaluate the potential impacts, and the functionality of the proposed patio design.

After submitting a completed application, it will be vetted by the following agencies/departments:

• Downtown Orillia Management Board
• Accessibility Advisory Committee (This review is currently being undertaken by the Chief Building Official)
• Environment and Infrastructure Services Department
• Fire Department
• Development Services and Engineering Department
• Police

If approval is received from the above agencies/departments, the applicant must then enter into a patio lease agreement with the City. The terms of the lease agreement include:

• Insurance requirements (applicant must provide proof and maintain public liability (personal injury and property damage) insurance in the amount of at least $2,000,000.00 naming “The Corporation of the City of Orillia” as an additional insured and containing a cross-liability endorsement and fifteen days notice of cancellation or material change in circumstances);
• Drawing must provide for accessibility for persons with a disability, the convenience and safety of patrons and general pedestrians, and for safety for vehicular traffic in the vicinity;
• Construction work undertaken shall be in accordance with the Ontario Building Code and a building permit obtained where applicable; 
• Term is May to October;
• Fees will be required as follows;
• $2.94 per square foot of patio space (plus HST)
• Approximately $1,413 per on-street parking space
• Daily maintenance requirements; and
• Pay a fee for the use of the sidewalk as well as any parking spaces utilized. The rate varies depending on the length of the lease.

The applicant must also submit Liquor Licence and Health Unit approvals to the City (these items are not required to be submitted initially with the application).

Outdoor Dining Domes

The City of Orillia has received a request for clarification on the use of “dining domes” (outdoor dining tents) as an ancillary use to a restaurant. The City of Orillia has consulted with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) and can provide the following clarification:

• According to the SMDHU, patrons seated within an outdoor dining domes are counted as part of a restaurant’s indoor dining capacity limits (for example, where a maximum of 10 patron’s are permitted for indoor dining, no more than 10 patrons can be permitted inside the restaurant and dining dome combined).
  • Per correspondence provided by the SMDHU, they require the following additional requirements:
    • Ensure that the capacity of each dining dome does not exceed the capacity of the current zone (Provincial Framework Zones) and the capacity for the entire dining establishment as per Ontario Regulation 364/20. Further, the dining domes should adhere to all requirements under Schedule 2 (Food and Drink) under Ontario Regulation 364/20.
    • Disinfection of the dining dome takes place between seatings and the establishment permits sufficient time between seatings to allow disinfection to take place.
    • There should be a means to allow fresh air to enter the dome (e.g. open flap or hole) to ensure adequate air exchange takes place.
    • Face coverings are used at all times by servers including the use of a face shield.
• Any business considering adding a dining domes requires SMDHU approval AND potentially municipal approval, depending on the size, therefore they should reach out to the SMDHU as a first step and then the City of Orillia Building Division for more information. 
• The size of the dining domes may result in the requirement for a building permit from the City of Orillia Building Division (705-329-7258).
• If a heating element is being contemplated (electric, propane, etc.) the City of Orillia Fire Department must also be consulted (705-325-5201).
• If your establishment is licensed to serve alcohol, you should confirm with the AGCO if your license would apply to the dining dome structure(s).
• Please note that the above noted recommendations are subject to change and business owners are encouraged to contact the SMDHU and the City of Orillia prior to erecting structures of this nature. 

 Downtown Tomorrow CIP Grant Program

In order to reduce the fees associated with constructing patios on municipally owned land, Council has allocated $30,000 to the 2020 Building Improvement Grant Program and $20,000 to the 2020 Fees Grant Program. 

New patios and/or sidewalk "bump-out" structures in the City's Downtown Tomorrow CIP Project Area may be eligible for a Building Improvement Grant to offset costs related to patio construction (up to 50% of costs up to $15,000) and/or a Fees Grant to offset costs related to Sidewalk Patio Application Fees (up to 100% of costs up to $5,000).

Applications for patios built in 2020 are exempt from the 2020 intake deadlines and may be submitted at any time. Please note that the 2020 patio season ends in October 2020, and the application process and execution of agreement may take several weeks to complete (depending on the quality and completeness of the submission). 

It is important to note that DTCIP Applications for Patios for Building Improvement Grants must be submitted prior to the commencement of any work and prior to application for building permit in order to be eligible for this program. 

For more information, visit the Downtown Tomorrow CIP Grant Program webpage or contact Laura Thompson at 705-325-5818.

Calling all muralists, sculptors, carvers, painters, musicians, dancers, and other creatives!

The City of Orillia is looking for local artists to add vibrancy to the Emergency Recovery Task Force’s (ERTF) Patio and Public Realm Project this summer. 

Together with the Downtown Orillia Management Board, the City of Orillia is looking to create space for local artists, at key locations along the road closure, to enhance the patio and downtown experience.  

In an effort to infuse the creativity of individual artists into the program, those interested are invited to submit their own idea(s) for animating the street.

Proposals will be reviewed on a case by case basis and selected to maximize program diversity to the extent possible given health and safety guidelines and budgetary constraints.  Those selected will be paid an honorarium congruent to the services described in their proposal. To learn more, visit orillia.ca/publicart.

PDF of the Patio Acknowledgement and Undertaking Form

Recording of the Patio Q & A Session (June 24, 2020)

Sample Patio Drawing for patios on private property*

*Drawings for downtown patios with structures (for patio or pedestrian traffic) must also show the number of proposed seats on the patio, dimensions of proposed patio area, width of pedestrian walkway, gap width between deck boards for the walkway, existing sidewalk, curb, parking spaces, street and any applicable items/encumbrances such as signs, stairs, trees, catch basin, and gas meter. Reflective decals are required on each post of the pedestrian walkway and therefore, please also identify the decal locations on the drawing. A detailed drawing enables City staff and others to evaluate the potential impacts, and the functionality of the proposed patio design.

Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit - COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for Reopening a Food Premise for Outdoor Dining (Patios, Curbside, Parking Lots and Adjacent Premises)

AGCO Bulletin - Extension of Patios for Liquor Sales Licencees

The City of Orillia Patio Task Force consists of staff from the Development Services and Engineering Department, Fire Department, Business Development and Communications Department and Environment and Infrastructure Services Department as well as the DOMB (as applicable). 

To contact the Patio Task Force for assistance, please contact Cheyenne Johnson at 705-325-2221.