Montréal, June 7, 2024 – Sandra Ferreira, the operations director of Ferreira Café on Peel Street, expressed her frustration on Friday evening after prevention officers from the Montréal Fire Department forced her to shut down the restaurant's crowded terrace during the busy Grand Prix weekend.
In a video shared on Instagram, Ferreira vented her anger at the fire department. "I am so incredibly furious with the Montréal firefighters," she exclaimed. Ferreira detailed how a dozen officers surrounded the terrace of her establishment in the evening. "They chose the Friday of the Grand Prix to come, when the restaurant is full, and in front of everyone, they asked us to clear the terrace. It's 9 PM, and we're packed," she lamented.
Ferreira explained that she had taken extensive measures to ensure her terrace was compliant for the summer season. "We have been working for months to have terraces and to ensure we could host the Grand Prix on Peel Street," she said. After numerous efforts with the city, the restaurant was granted permission to set up its terrace. "It was months of relentless effort and work to get the permit," she added.
When the fire department officers arrived at the restaurant, Ferreira tried to argue that the establishment had special permission for its terrace. "They didn't want to hear it," she said.
Beyond the decision to force the closure of the terrace, Ferreira criticized the timing of the intervention. "I find it cruel that they waited two or three weeks to come and shut us down when the restaurant is full," she said. Typically composed, Ferreira couldn't hold back her tears in front of her customers on Friday night. She recorded her emotional video while her staff worked to settle the bills of the customers who had to leave the terrace prematurely.
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