Vancouver restaurants may get to keep patrons on patios even longer if city council approves the extension of a pilot program allowing some eateries to keep serving people outdoors late into the evening.
Council approved a pilot program last summer that permitted some eateries to continue serving customers past the usual 11 p.m. curfew.
Coun. Heather Deal said there was a big appetite among restaurants to jump on board and offer later hours to patrons during the warm summer months last year.
"We know over the years people have been saying to us that it's ridiculous for a city such as us – a young city, a vibrant city like Vancouver – to have to go inside at 11 o'clock," she said.
"It has to be successful for them (restaurants) as well as the neighbours, that's why it's a pilot program. They're going to let us know if it's worth their while."
The motion going before council would allow some restaurants that haven't had any noise complaints in the past year to keep their patios running until midnight.
Council votes February 19 on whether it wants to extend the program from April to October of this year and report back before summer 2015.
