Vancouver restaurant ordered to remove $100K patio pergola despite appeal win

The City of Vancouver is forcing the removal of a $100,000 Tuscan-inspired pergola from the patio of Italian Kitchen, a downtown restaurant, despite the owner's successful appeal to keep it. Owner Emad Yacoub says the structure, installed during the pandemic, is essential for attracting diners and generating revenue. Yacoub won a 7-1 vote last year from the Board of Variance to retain the pergola, but his landlord later received a city notice threatening lease termination if it remained. The city says it is working with the building owner for compliance and has not required removal while permitting is ongoing. Jane Talbot of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association warns the removal hurts the city's restaurant scene and vibrancy. Yacoub notes easier permitting in Edmonton and Toronto, and he abandoned a separate Vancouver project due to costly code upgrades.