The Montreal government is facing questions after firefighters ordered several restaurants to close their crowded outdoor seating areas during a busy Grand Prix weekend.
Ensemble Montréal, an opposition group at city hall, joined the calls on the government and the fire department to explain why shocked patrons were ordered to leave the Peel Street terrace around 9 p.m. on Friday, one of the busiest nights of the year.
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 the outdoor seating area because it was not in compliance with municipal regulations.
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She said there had been some back-and-forth with inspectors about the placement of the patio and the tent covering it in the weeks leading up to the Formula 1 race in Montreal, but she was under the impression her setup was permitted.
Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante said the city is meeting with the parties involved to get to the bottom of what happened, but said there was clearly a big communication problem.
The Montreal Arts Ensemble said the meeting should have taken place before city council so the public could get to the bottom of this “major fiasco” that is damaging the city's reputation.
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