Sidewalk Café and Patio Licences

Bring your restaurant outdoors and create a welcoming space with a Sidewalk Café on municipal property. Learn how to apply, what you need to include, and the steps to get started.

Sidewalk Café Guidelines

Use our guide for details about the sidewalk café application process.

Sidewalk Café Guidelines

How to apply

All restaurants with a valid restaurant business license, in good standing with the City of Niagara Falls, and with valid liability insurance may apply.

Note: If you obtained a Sidewalk Café permit in 2024 or 2023 and your café design has not changed, you may apply for a renewal in 2025.

Complete the 2025 Application for a Sidewalk Cafe
Provide the required additional documents:
- Three copies of the proposed patio plan (if applying digitally, only one PDF copy of the plan is needed)
- A valid Insurance Certificate naming the City as additional insured
- If your restaurant is licensed to serve liquor, you must also submit a copy of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) license
Submit your completed application form by email, in person, or by mail and pay the fees. Payment of the application fees must be submitted for a complete application.

City of Niagara Falls
Planning, Building, and Development Department
Wayne Thomson Building
4343 Morrison Street
Niagara Falls, Ontario L2E 6Z9

Application for a sidewalk cafe

Proposed patio plans

Plans must be prepared by a qualified professional, defined as an Ontario Land Surveyor, Ontario Landscape Architect, Certified Planning, Engineering, or Architectural Technologist or Technician.

Plans must be drawn to scale in metric, illustrating:

The front of the restaurant, the outside dimensions of the sidewalk café area, the position of tables and chairs and any other associated features or amenities i.e. fencing, barriers etc.
The sidewalk width
The total patio area calculation
A minimum 1-metre-wide emergency evacuation route from the business operation to the street (this minimum 1-metre-wide route must be maintained on site throughout the Sidewalk Café operation period)
The subject property (the lands to which the application applies), and any neighboring properties including all property line boundaries
Any other details included in the "Required Information" section of the application form

The Plan must also conform to any design, placement, and/or other regulations outlined in the Sidewalk Cafe Guidelines.

Fees and insurance

Fees

For 2025, a new fee structure has been adopted based on a 3-year agreement with the City of Niagara Falls. Fees differ based on whether the application is a new application or a renewal application.

Your application will be considered a new application if you have never applied to the Sidewalk Café Program or obtained a Sidewalk Café permit before 2023
Your application will be considered a renewal if you applied and successfully obtained a permit for operation from the City in 2024 or 2023, and your café design has not changed

Whether your application is new or a renewal, if it is approved and a subsequent permit is issued, you will enter into a 3-year agreement with the City.

New applications will be subject to an application fee plus an annual licensing fee per square metre of licensed café area
Renewal applications will be subject to a renewal fee plus an annual licensing fee per square metre of licensed café area

For the most current fees, check the Schedule of Fees.

Payment methods: Payment can be accepted in person via cheque or debit card (credit card payment is not available). The cheque should be payable to the City of Niagara Falls. Mailed applications will require a cheque payment to be submitted with the application package.

Insurance

The City of Niagara Falls requires five million dollars in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance per incident, for Sidewalk Cafés occupying City Property. Along with your application (whether a new or a renewal), you will need to submit a Standard Certificate of Insurance for five million per incident, to indemnify the City of Niagara Falls.

Visit our Certificates of Insurance page to get the current Certificate of Insurance (Standard Liability Form)
The start and end dates on the insurance certificate must cover the Sidewalk Café operation period (April 1 to October 31 of the applicable year). Otherwise, additional insurance documentation may be required
Under Section 2 of the form, you must state: Sidewalk Café for [insert name of your business] located at [insert full address of your business]
Under Section 7 of the form, the City of Niagara Falls must be listed as an additional insured on the certificate

An updated Certificate of Insurance must be provided annually to maintain a Sidewalk Café permit.

Small frontage sidewalk cafés

Small Frontage Sidewalk Cafés are permitted to operate without a permit, at no cost, provided an application (including a valid Certificate of Insurance) is submitted and approved, and all requirements are met.

The following requirements must be met:

Maximum dimensions: 0.8m deep x 5.5m wide
A maximum of one or two tables, with up to 2 chairs per table
Only permitted where the minimum pedestrian clearway is provided
No fencing is permitted
The chairs and tables must be removed from the sidewalk at the end of each business day

Frequently asked questions

How long does the application process take?

The complete application shall be circulated to City Staff, including the Planning, Zoning, Transportation, Building, and Engineering departments, for review and comment. The application must be approved, and the permit must be issued before using any municipal lands.

Provided there are no concerns, a permit will be issued approximately three weeks after a complete application (including full payment) is received.

General overview process

Each application will be reviewed on its individual merit, based on particular conditions and consideration of location and municipal needs. The Sidewalk Café shall conform to any applicable provisions of the Zoning By-law, the Ontario Building Code, the Fire Code, Site Plan Control, and any other applicable regulations and policies.

Whether your application is a new application or a renewal, you will enter into a three-year agreement with the City of Niagara Falls. During the three-year term, the applicant will be required to fill out the ‘Sidewalk Cafe Annual Permit Form’ each year, pay the licensing fee, submit a valid insurance certificate to the City, and submit a copy of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) license if your restaurant is licensed to serve liquor. By entering into this agreement, the application fee or renewal fee is waived for the next two years. See more details in section 10 of our Sidewalk Café Guidelines Brochure.

Do I need perimeter fencing?

A physical separation around the Sidewalk Café is required if serving alcohol. Please check with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) for full requirements.

Can I operate a sidewalk café on my own restaurant property?

Yes, Sidewalk Cafés located on private property would be subject to Site Plan Control. Please contact the Niagara Falls Planning, Building, and Development Department for more information regarding this process.

Email: pbd@niagarafalls.ca
Phone: 905-356-7521 ext. 4330