Halifax council votes to look into cutting patio fees, creating red tape portal - BERITAJA

Two motions to support mini businesses passed unanimously astatine Halifax Regional Council, pinch the politician and councillors saying they want to thief owners thrive.

Mayor Andy Fillmore introduced 2 motions: 1 asked for a unit study connected reducing aliases eliminating fees for edifice patios. The different mobility asked for a study connected mounting up a feedback portal for businesses to place reddish tape.

“I’ve heard from businesses that because of the costs of the patio permit, they’re making the determination to not unfastened the patio,” he said.

“That intends 4 aliases 5 jobs that aren’t being filled this summertime — that intends [a] lesser bottommost statement for the restaurant.”

He says the motions purpose to thief mini businesses, fixed the expanding economical pressures.

“It’s important to perceive people. It’s besides important to past enactment connected what you’ve learned truthful the portal would unfastened up a measurement for america to understand really we could modify our processes to support those businesses better,” he said.

According to the municipality’s website, the fees for a patio scope from $350 to $1,270, depending connected the size of the patio and whether it is seasonal aliases annual.

The municipality brought successful $70,000 successful gross from patio fees past year.

“The margins are small, truthful if we could thief and assistance our mini business by reducing patio fees aliases eliminating patio fees. Maybe it’s a year-by-year basis, I americium happy to look astatine that,” said Coun. Tony Mancini, who represents Dartmouth East Burnside.

Some concerns were raised, however, about whether removing fees would beryllium beneficial successful the adjacent budgeting process.

“I’ll support the motion, but I deliberation we conscionable request to beryllium mindful that we did walk a mobility astatine this assembly looking astatine expanding fees truthful this seems to spell straight against that,” said Coun. Janet Steele, who represents Clayton Park.

Others questioned really impactful a reddish portion portal would beryllium astatine expediting existent projects and successful supporting the municipality and state successful addressing these issues.

“You know, the reddish tape, it’s often not conscionable pinch HRM,” said Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttell.

“It’s successful that intersection betwixt our orders of government.”