​​In June 2020, City Council established the Patio Brampton program as a temporary patio extension program to make it easier for Brampton bars and restaurants to expand their patios and allow for physical distancing to contain the spread of COVID-19. This program ended January 1, 2023.

New for 2023​​

Requests are being accepted from restaurants, bars and cafes to establish temporary seasonal patios and seating areas on municipal or private property and are permitted until October 31, 2023. The applicant is responsible for removal of the patio and returning the space to its original form no later than 7 am on November 7.

Temporary Seasonal Patios shall:

  • Be adjacent to and abutting the business store front
  • Be open to the air; any temporary tents/or structures must comply with the City’s Building Code, Fire Code and will be subject to a separate review process and may require a building permit.
  • Comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) at all times
  • Comply with all applicable City of Brampton By-laws including but not limited to Noise By-law 93-84, Public Nuisance By-law 136-2018, Open Fires By-law 91-94, Sign By-law 399-2002
  • Comply with all applicable public health requirements including but not limited to the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 (SFOA) regulations; applicants should consult with the Tobacco and Vaping Enforcement Officer at the local public health unit for more information (Region of Peel - Public Health)
  • Close for service by 11:00 pm unless otherwise extended by the City of Brampton

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Temporary Seasonal Patios shall not:

  • Permit cooking or food preparation
  • Permit outdoor theatrical performances or audio/visual presentations, live music concerts or shows
  • Permit outside amplified music/sound without an approved exemption to Noise By-law 93-84 – exemption application process is outlined in Section 4.2 of the Noise By-law 93-84
  • Remove Accessible Parking spaces which must remain available for parking use and access
  • Permit portable toilets
  • Permit umbrellas less that 2.1m (7ft) above the walking surface
  • Permit open air fires or solid, gel or liquid fuel fire featured items and must adhere to Open Fires By-law 91-94​
  • Permit smoking of tobacco or cannabis and vaping of any substance on and within 9m (29.5 ft.) of a patio where food and drink is served in accordance with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 (SFOA).
  • Permit obstruction of stormwater flows or blockage of stormwater drains. The Applicant shall be responsible for clearance of any debris or snow and overall maintenance to ensure free flow of water.
  • Encroach on City property or another property, without written consent, and in the case of City property, without an encroachment agreement in place or other such agreements with the City and road occupancy permit, if applicable.
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  • The applicant must have a current and valid business licence issued by the City of Brampton and be classified as a restaurant, cafe or bar.
  • ​The applicant must carry commercial general liability insurance that is satisfactory to the City of Brampton.
  • The applicant must provide written permission from the neighbouring property owner or tenant if you wish to use the space in front of a neighbouring business.
  • The applicant must provide written approval o.f the landlord/property owner or property manager.
  • The applicant must provide written notification to surrounding businesses and residents of the patio and liquor sales (if applicable).
  • The applicant must provide a detailed plan or sketch of the proposed temporary patio (see Specifications: Patio Sketch/Plan Submission below) ​.
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  • The physical extension of the premises must be adjacent to the premises to which the licence to sell liquor applies.
  • The licensee is required to notify the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) of any temporary outdoor extension approved by the municipality and any conditions imposed by the municipality.
  • The licensee is able to demonstrate sufficient control over the physical extension of the premises at all times.
  • There is no condition on the liquor sales licence prohibiting a patio.
  • The licensee must continue to comply with AGCO requirements for permanent indoor and outdoor extensions.
  • The licensee must continue to comply with the Liquor Licence and Control Act, 2019 (LLCA), its regulations, the Registrar’s Interim Standards and Requirements for liquor as well as any other conditions on the licence that have been imposed on the outdoor temporary extensions by the AGCO.
  • The number of persons occupying the combined area of the existing and temporary patio shall not exceed the posted occupancy of the indoor area indicated on your AGCO liquor licence.
  • The patio shall close for service by 11:00 pm daily unless otherwise approved by the City of Brampton.

  1. A sketch, site plan, air photo and/or satellite image (e.g. Google Maps) showing the entire property and highlighting the business/building and proposed patio (marked up aerial photo of the property is acceptable); see GIS Map of Brampton​ for further assistance.

  2. Patio sketch must show:

    • The adjacency of the patio to the front door of the business
    • Proposed dimensions of the patio and boundary fencing
    • Proposed entrance/exit gate or opening in boundary fencing and access width
    • Any existing infrastructure that is included in the proposed patio space including dimensions
    • Accessible parking space(s)
    • Sidewalk/pedestrian area – must depict how pedestrians are to be routed around the encroachment (pedestrian safety and AODA standards must be adhered to at all times)
    • Fire route and access to patios,buildings and drive aisles

  3. Plan submission must indicate:

    • Proposed number and type of seating
    • Proposed fencing materials and height
    • Details of any other infrastructure that is existing or proposed
    • total number of parking spaces available without patio
    • proposed number of parking spaces to be used for patio
    ​

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  • Temporary patios may not be located within a designated fire route or sight triangles.
  • A fully enclosed structure is not permissible.
  • Existing fire safety plans are to be adhered to.
  • To ensure the safe egress of people from an outdoor patio, a clear path must be maintained. This is particularly critical where required exit doors from a building open into/through the outdoor patio space. The outdoor patio arrangements must allow all occupants to evacuate through the patio space to a safe place away from the building, without restrictions. Adequate lighting for egress should also be taken into consideration.
  • All temporary patio expansions must comply with the Ontario Fire Code​. Any exit gates must swing freely outward but not into traffic from the temporary patio during hours of operation.
  • If the outdoor dining area is covered by a roof, canopy, tent, awning or other element, at least two full sides of the outdoor dining area must be open to the outdoors and must not be substantially blocked by any walls or other impermeable physical barriers.
  • Tent structures are only permitted as a temporary accessory use for a maximum of a 14-day period twice a year on any commercial or industrial zoned property.
  • If the outdoor dining area is equipped with a retractable roof and the roof is retracted, at least one full side of the outdoor dining area must be open to the outdoors and must not be substantially blocked by any walls or other impermeable physical barriers.
  • The enclosure must:
    • Be certified fire-resistant CAN/ULC-S109 or NFPA 701
    • Be designed and anchored to resist wind uplift
    • Be designed to carry snow
  • If the enclosure is closer than 3 metres to any building or structure OR greater than 60m2 in size, a building permit is required.
  • If the enclosure is 3 metres or more away from any other building or structure and less than 60m2 in size, a building permit is not required.
  • Use of any outdoor heating appliance must be in compliance with manufacturer specifications. Please see Technical Standards & Safety Authority​ (TSSA) guidelines regarding fuel fired appliances.
  • The patio shall close for service by 11:00 pm daily unless otherwise appropved by the City of Brampton.
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Submit an application for Temporary Seasonal Patio permit


Open the Application Form

The City of Brampton may conduct audit inspections of temporary patios to ensure compliance with the general safety requirements outlined in these guidelines, including but not limited to:

  • Completion of an onsite Fire Safety inspection;
  • Provision of existing liquor licence, if requested by the Chief Building Official; and/or,
  • Inspection of temporary patio and any adjustments required to the patio in order to address compliance with these Guidelines and applicable law.

If you have questions about patio extensions or the application process, please email cityclerksoffice@brampton.ca or call 905.874.2113.​