Why are so many Toronto restaurants closing?

As the iconic Lisa Marie on Queen West closes it's doors for good, Tina Yazdani speaks to the owners about skyrocketing costs and explores why so many Toronto restaurants are calling it quits.

[@atd5684]

The insane rents and commercial property taxes on small business has to stop. We lose all the wonderful, unique and quirky establishments that make the city wonderful. We don't need another street full of the same 8 stores that are on every street corner in suburbia. Somewhere these fantastic places must be allowed to thrive.

[@EchoesofthePast908]

You can thank your boy trudeau for that .

[@jonm3131]

@@EchoesofthePast908 ItS tHat DaRn TrUdeAu's fAuLt!!

[@debatingaftershock6816]

At D very true. I was speaking to wealthy Toronto residents and they say when their servants suffer (the people who work I. The places they buy from), they notice things disappear and the servants are too stressed to give great service..... Which in turn makes the wealthy want to walk away from the city they once loved. The city is not filling up with humans who are migrants. So it isn’t a case of humans not striving to be educated to keep up with the cost of living.... it’s that we smash anyone who works hard and make sure they never get a chance to be something bigger.

[@nicholasche3608]

Very unfortunate Good people working hard to make an honest living Big loss for the community

[@TKnHappyNess]

The city doesn't care. And you see how fast developeers swoop in and buy the land for condos

[@jgchalmers]

so fast that another restaurant is opening in its place instead of condos? did you even watch the story

[@rickplesnik2570]

Restaurants are a tough business. High overhead costs.............

[@glent7853]

Why would I eat out for dinner for $40, when I can make it at home for $3.00. Also, my wine that costs $12 at LCBO is $40 at a restaurant.

[@BeastJeffrey]

Support the economy dirtbag

[@Ivan-cb4fv]

Why would you make it at home for $3 when you can go to random waste container and find food leftovers for free

[@BlueToronto]

At home and at a restaurant, presumably, you'd be eating FRESH food.

[@Ivan-cb4fv]

@@BlueToronto At home you will likely be eating food that you bought 1-6 days ago, while restaurant will likely have food delivered same day. The food quality is not a subject of this topic. The subject is greediness and inability to understand why people go to restaurants. The hint is...they go not to eat or drink...

[@BlueToronto]

@@Ivan-cb4fv You don't own a fridge?? Food vs. restaurant is a cost comparison....when you bring in dumpster food you are now bringing quality and freshness into the equation. You asked the question, you got an answer.

[@Glory-to-God.]

who can afford to dine out with mortgage payments being 70 per cent of my pay check...thanks to Canada's ridiculous housing

[@donm2067]

Should have negotiated the price lower, you could gave saved some money.

[@thevultrantransituniverse1487]

Queen West is gonna become a ghost town in 5 years.

[@thevultrantransituniverse1487]

@Tommy Vee Lol yeah with tons of shootings and gang crime.

[@Erifighter1]

Is Ontario still open for business?

[@ericb252]

Rent going up and up and forcing everyone to buy a condo and businesses to close. This is sustainable right? I mean it keeps the real estate market stable right?

[@film1836]

Hmmm if corporations & govts would increase the salaries of employees to match that of raising costs etc the cost of living would level out in all areas ... Also rent control is needed .. the vast majority of condos in the downtown core are rental units - it's the private enterprise with virtually no registration that is causing the unaffordability of Toronto!!

[@Rockmachine99]

It's that, but it's also the cost passed on to consumers, and really (ala google/youtube) most people can now make the recipes for anything a restaurant can make for literally a fraction of the cost. In the 90's, you went to restaurants because they made food-you had no idea how to make (short of going to a library). I'm so done with restaurants.

[@ronfunchess1818]

I agree the price for sub par restaurant food is outrageous

[@Phlegethon]

Why were they building so many restaurants?

[@marromorrison]

Phlegethon because cooking is becoming more of a lost art.

[@Phlegethon]

It’s the end of an era....for a restaurant that operated for 6 years

[@seferino]

That's Ontario for you. Closing businesses.

[@seferino]

@joe lukasik it definitely is

[@dwaynewladyka577]

@joe lukasik No, it's a fact that restaurants come and go, worldwide. It has nothing to do with Kathleen Wynne, Justin Trudeau, Doug Ford, or any other politician. The restaurant industry is volatile by nature. That's how it is.

[@dwaynewladyka577]

@Tommy Vee Mass immigration? Canada's population has not risen by very much, in the last 10 years. That's not why restaurants close.

[@TheChaosblock]

@Tommy Vee You're not from Canada Sergey.

[@ronfunchess1818]

@@dwaynewladyka577 why are you always defending the people you claim you don't vote for and never will vote for

[@dylankn8129]

We have too few bars and restaurants in Toronto and they kept CLOSING...That’s why we are a boring city...

[@loktom4068]

Where do you think all those $$$$ goes to politians favorite corporate Bed Buddies like Bombardier, Loblaws, Chrysler Canada, and others alike were from ?????????????????????

[@thevultrantransituniverse1487]

Yup, Toronto is a boring city.

[@donm2067]

Yet some how it's world class, one of the most overvalued holes ever. You couldn't pay me to live in Toronto, mind you the ROM is nice.

[@OnTheRoadWithEric]

Blame Trudeau for carbon tax!!

[@gordonfreeman5434]

and the min. wage isn't helping

[@dothedeed]

the rent is the problem not min wage

[@janajana8243]

And how do people pay to eat at these places and live? Dumb dumb.

[@Mkayexplores]

Rent, taxes and high labor are the main reasons why businesses can't survive. Why is rent and housing so high even though Canada is one of the least populous countries in the world. So much free land, yet the rent is thriugh the roof. You can get a house in gated community for $400k in many states in U.S.

[@janajana8243]

Money laundering mainland Chinese using residential and commercial real estate as a piggy bank. We need to send them all back to China.

[@Mkayexplores]

@@janajana8243 i don't know what the fix is, but I myself opened up a small local grocery store and the ever increasing rent and taxes killed me. This is extremely tragic, we will completely finish off local shops and only big chains will remain. Something needs to be done.

[@garykennett2842]

I remember pleading with people not to open video rental stores when I knew it was over .......

[@grigoryzinoviev244]

There really is no question who is to blame for this.

[@janajana8243]

@user123 user421 China.....I'm not joking

[@epidermiuss]

@@janajana8243 how so? genuinely curious

[@icon_xb2genrich]

It’s really sad 😔

[@osoemparado3958]

When you raise the minimum wage from $11.40 to $14, this is what should be expected.

[@osoemparado3958]

@Ken Lompart Why did the price of food and power go up?

[@kadnan67]

And Doug said , Ontario open for business 😏😏😏

[@janajana8243]

Never trust a right winger.

[@ugeneous]

Told you so.

[@lominiski]

It is extremly hard to run a physical business in Toronto

[@jimmyb6842]

All those new places opening are new commers with gov money n credits, while existing canadians pay the costs

[@DragonPupEclipse]

Toronto will be filled with Tim hortons, A and W, and Mcdonalds everywhere in the future.

[@debatingaftershock6816]

To be honest.... if you make the wage so it is unable to even cover a poverty level rent.. they can’t eat out. If you don’t let the rent balance to be attainable by the common wage.... they can’t eat out. people’s hard work and dedication smashes because of other people’s greed. It’s sad to see humans working hard and can’t even be permitted to make a living. It’s more than a restaurant closing, it’s someone’s life and leaving behind unemployed Canadians who once worked there. The cost of everything isn’t mathematically sound. It’s math

[@justicewalking]

Wages are the main reason these places close. People know that if they are ever going to be able to buy a house one day then they can't afford to go out to restaurants or they don't have the time because they're either working lots of overtime or have a second job

[@pippypipettes3876]

cry me a river! who can afford to eat out these days? look at their retirement account from the young people is basically none.

[@ambassadoroftruth99]

pippypipettes - “cry me a river”? No compassion for a guy that worked hard, did things right and still can’t keep the doors open because of occupancy costs and costs of goods sold. How about his retirement? His family? His mortgage? Food on his families table? He’s not asking for a handout like the “young people” of today.

[@pippypipettes3876]

@@ambassadoroftruth99 I'm in this industry so yeah i have no compassion for my competition. I started out as a dishwasher boy to now owner. I'm just saying there are too many similar restaurants/cafe out there. If you want to succeed your restaurant really have to standout and you have to have alot of capital to back you up.

[@flagship21]

Millenial have got to move to the farm not the city.

[@flagship21]

Why not eat and drink wine in bellwoods park. That way you can still be in the area

[@s0hail1]

*Simple Best Solution Governments Build House & Shops same like China Give those people's who don't have any Property*

[@gabid.560]

Carbon tax is kicking every owner in the balls. Period

[@TakashiNippon]

Eventually most of the restaurant that will be left are large multinationals

[@janajana8243]

And dirty money laundering Chinese joints

[@3o3tigger]

LIBERAL carbon TAX! Will effect every THING!

[@3o3tigger]

@1 O life is simple, if YOUR a SIMPLETON, every thing YOU SEE every thing you own , every thing you EAT has been in a carbon taxed truck at least 3-4 times ,see life is simple for you RIGHT ?

[@ravieromartino7244]

@@3o3tigger The carbon tax started in ONtario, two weeks ago, so I'm not sure if any business ownerr would shut down over the term of two weeks!!!!!!

[@Sam19509]

@@ravieromartino7244 we had cap and trade up to January 1 2019. We really have not had carbon pricing just for one quarter January to March 2019. However, Trudope covered his ground with higher small business tax regulations, an increasing alcohol escalator tax, and increasing employer mandated contributions for cpp and ei.

[@rszilvarn]

@1 O Doug Ford is set to take the liberal tax grab to court.

[@chrisball9191]

when i go north the last 3 years its been that way, too bad it takes stores in the city closing to start to figure this out... get out and vote people we know this government has done nothing but hurt the small guys...

[@chanelgill]

They all know each other in that restaurant

[@s0hail1]

*Its True Rent r v high I can't afford my Basements Rent Govenmens must Take action*

[@e.viciousfifaking7367]

The goverment is killing Toronto 😢😢😢😢😢 unaffordable everything

[@georgehenry76]

Uhm..maybe Toronto’s home/apartment rental situation should be “looked at” and “helped” before the restaurant scene. Sorry but all you imported, suburban hipsters, should realize that there are people born and raised right here who should have more right to be able to live and rent here affordably. I am not even remotely touched by this story.

[@splintcell22]

preach brother

[@georgehenry76]

Greg Skies lol..

[@adamsultana8380]

This is what happens when they keep raising costs and housing, and there's too much of a population now.

[@vishunarang6789]

Time for government to introduce ceiling

[@disappearact1018]

I'm Still Hurt They Closed Big Slice On Yonge 😢😢😢

[@joepeters5789]

people are going all no GMO

[@paulbahen5882]

Dont worry......soon downtown will be all condos and there will be no need for anyone to drive down there anymore.

[@garykennett2842]

Sad , but six years is hardly an era ............

[@triplethreatmatt]

The title of this video is deceptive and misleading of the overall trend. Advance to the 3:13 mark of this video clip. The data you present reflects that even though 8,575 restaurants have gone out of business over a four year period (2014-2018), the overall rate of new restaurants opening has increased from 8,916 restaurants in 2014 to 10,203 restaurants in 2018 (a 3.6% increase). By the numbers you are reporting the video should be titled "Why are more restaurants opening in Toronto?". Otherwise, this seems like an alarmist and lazy report because you would rather tell a depressing story about the economic struggles of a beloved business. In which case, maybe you should have looked at the issues of Queen West surrounding gentrification, and the importance of owning versus renting to help provide economic stability within a small business.

[@garrethikes]

What yellow journalism. Clearly says on the video the number of restaurants opening is increasing. This one closed and is being replaced with another restaurant lol sounds like Lisa Marie just had the wrong business model for busy queen west

[@garrethikes]

@Ken Lompart everybody knows most restaurants fail, thats not news

[@krismctopher7]

Run a restaurant priced for the times. The trendy yuppie market is dying. Sell food for people. Not Toronto Life readers.

[@ilikeshroomgals]

Doug Ford’s Ontario is closed for business!

[@TheShpmusic]

Ah shut it. Shut it down right away.👈👀

[@leonfong4456]

He can't break even... That's why its closing

[@rommeldude1]

Move to Hamilton, cheaper rent! Its no joke.

[@absolutepowerchannel8980]

What a wonderful world us working class people are building eh! In case anyone hasn't notice already it's not getting better. We need to modernize the so called system world wide. I thought technology was supposed to help us. And I know it does. But I am slowly beginning to dislike mankind for taxing and inflating the god given land we need to live. I'd happily rather work building infrastructure and maintaining them for free, if I would simply live free in peace. ☮️

[@trashpanda9615]

Read the book Barren Metal by e Michael Jones

[@ericyuan9718]

$14 min wage, carbon tax, liberal inventions. Before the wage hike, I could get some decent take out for $6-7, now it's a bowl of goop.

[@ctcamara]

Chinese investments...

[@HuplesCat]

The vegan ones are doing great. CHurning is common in Toronto. Overall more restaurants so the entire story is bogus based on gentrification on Queen West

[@pippypipettes3876]

all their menu are basically the same anyways.

[@stevecoates5308]

It going to be like bc wow 20 a hr

[@MatrixDiscovery]

Because Canada is becoming a Soviet style country.

[@matty86suk]

Who can afford to go out as much anymore, thanks turdeau.

[@ROMA--AETERNA]

Thanks, Liberals. 😡

[@janajana8243]

Intelligent

[@nagistratos]

Thanks Socialism. thanks.

[@Brittney94]

Nagi Stratos socialism? Do you know what socialism is? Venezuela is a socialist country. Canada is not socialist. Hence, why Venezuelan citizens are starving and dying and Canadians are not. A few restaurants shutting down is not evidence of a socialist government.

[@janajana8243]

Lol, no this is libertarianism....far far right

[@janajana8243]

@@Brittney94 no Venezuela is failed socialism. Venezuela was socialist back when it was a rich country too. No one seems to acknowledge that.

[@Brittney94]

gaby alseen please tell me a truly successful socialist country?... I’ll sit here and wait. Because as far as I know, socialism never works And never has worked. Maybe it does temporarily, but it is a large part of why Venezuela is now a failed state. Democratic socialism yes, socialism? No. There needs to be a balance in all systems for permanent success.