(Montreal) The terraces of some restaurants were emptied of their customers Friday evening by the Montreal fire safety service (SIM) while the Grand Prix was in full swing and customers were flocking.
This is what happened Friday evening at the Ferreira Café located on Peel Street. In a video published on social networks, the owner of the establishment, Sandra Ferreira, recounts the ordeal she experienced after a dozen firefighters asked her to empty the terrace of her restaurant, although it was full of customers.
“The firefighters came to tell us that the terrace is not compliant,” explains Sandra Ferreira in her video. They wait until the Friday of the Grand Prix to come, even though we have a full restaurant. And in front of everyone, they ask us to evacuate the terrace.”
The terrace of his establishment nevertheless received permission from the City to open, despite some adjustments that were necessary to its installation. In total, the owner would have paid more than $40,000 to welcome her customers to her terrace this year.
“I ask them what happens if I don’t do it [evacuate the terrace] and they tell me it’s the terrace or it’s the restaurant,” she says. I find it so cruel to have waited to tell us this, [to make] a scene in front of lots of people, with me bursting into tears. »
The fine she allegedly received states that she “did not take all necessary measures to remove a dangerous condition. »
“[For] all the restaurants on Peel Street, it was months of relentless effort [to get the terraces],” adds Sandra Ferreira. This weekend, I am ashamed for my city, I am ashamed that this is happening in front of our customers, […] Everyone arrives and the disappointment is that nothing happens on the street [Peel ]. »
The event sparked the reaction of many people, including elected officials from the metropolis.
“Apart from the question of bad timing, I question the lack of leadership in the Ville-Marie district led by Valérie Plante,” writes the Official Opposition spokesperson for public security, Abdelhaq Sari, on X. Where is the consultation with all the stakeholders that the mayor is talking about? »
More details to come.