MONTREAL — The City of Montreal has launched an investigation and suspended an employee after fire prevention officers ordered several restaurants to close their crowded outdoor seating areas at dinner time during the busy Grand Prix weekend .
Luc Rabouin, president of the city’s executive committee, admitted that it was “unacceptable” that uniformed staff forced restaurateurs to order their customers to leave the terraces on Peel Street around 9 p.m. Friday, during the one of the busiest nights of the year.
“We were all shocked by this and even our general management, the highest level of the City of Montreal, decided to launch an investigation, because it is not usual and it is not normal that something like It’s happening here in Montreal,” he told reporters Monday outside Ferreira Café, one of the restaurants affected.
The city has faced an avalanche of criticism since Montrealer Sandra Ferreira posted a tearful video on social media on Friday describing how uniformed police officers arrived at her family’s Café Ferreira and ordered her to clear out. outdoor space because it did not comply with municipal regulations.
In the video, Ms Ferreira said there had been discussions with inspectors about the location of the terraces and the tents covering them in the weeks leading up to the Formula 1 race in Montreal, but she had the impression that its installation had been authorized.
“I find it cruel of them to have waited two, three weeks and to close the restaurant when the restaurant is full,” she lamented in the video, widely shared.
Mr. Rabouin said Monday that the city had suspended a fire department employee pending the results of the internal investigation, but did not provide further details. He said prevention officers found that tents above patios had been placed too close to buildings, but admitted inspections should have taken place at another time.
This reaction even forced the Montreal Firefighters’ Association to publish a press release emphasizing that the operation had been carried out by civilian prevention agents and not by firefighters, who wear a similar uniform.
The four terraces affected were authorized to reopen on Saturday, without the tents which protected customers from the rain.
Municipal opposition group Ensemble Montréal argued that the city’s administration should question firefighters before council so the public can get answers about the “monumental fiasco” that has tarnished the city’s reputation.
Julien Hénault-Ratelle, party spokesperson for economic development, blamed this “shameful” incident on the lack of coordination and communication between the fire prevention team and the district administration led by the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante.
He said the closure, although it only affected a few restaurants, is just the latest challenge for struggling downtown businesses. “There are problems with cleanliness, cohabitation with the homeless in downtown Montreal, and right here, we have a construction site right next to the street,” he explained to journalists. “All of these issues are very difficult for all business owners.”
Alain Creton, owner of Chez Alexandre et fils restaurant, said he and another affected restaurateur are still too upset to know exactly what steps they want the city to take.
“We are too emotional, we are tired, so we don’t know what to do and what we want,” he said. However, he indicated that he did not intend to take legal action.
“I don’t want to fight anyone, I just want this to never happen again, not only for me, but for everyone in Montreal.”
Luc Rabouin announced that the city would take 24 hours to submit proposals allowing restaurateurs to safely operate their covered terraces, but Alain Creton admitted that he was still not sure if he wanted to put up a tent again.
