After remaining empty for a year, the Student Union Society (SUS) has announced that a new franchise will be moving into the space previously occupied by the Canoe restaurant.
Streats will begin operating on the second floor of the Student Union Building (SUB) following the grand opening on Oct. 21 of this year. The restaurant will be open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“Students should look forward to a good variety of food that’s tasty and an atmosphere that has good vibes,” Tripat Sandhu, SUS president, said.
Streats offers a variety of street food inspired items, including tacos, burritos, salad bowls, and poutine. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options are available. Streats will also hold a liquor license and there will be alcohol available for purchase, but must be kept in the lounge space. Gurvir Gill, SUS VP external, said prices will likely be similar to other locations as will deals, but it will be determined by the franchise.
Streats will operate out of the old Canoe kitchen. The SUS-operated Canoe restaurant closed in April 2018 after running a deficit of close to $300,000 after two and a half years of operating. The restaurant opened for business in October 2015.
Negotiations with Streats have been ongoing over the last few weeks and the two organizations signed a multiyear contract last week. Streats will be able to use the kitchen space in the SUB and SUS will receive a percentage of the profits. There is no loss of student money if the franchise doesn’t make a profit in a year, however.
“We’re getting a food vendor that students can access and actually utilize rather than waiting in line ups, like on campus, and have more options and variety,” Sandhu said.
“I think that was our biggest priority,” Gill added.
The restaurant seating area has been open for general lounge space since the Canoe’s closure. Gill said that the space will be a shared one, owned by SUS but used by Streats. Students will still be able to use the space as a study and lounge location, but there will be more people using the space to eat and it likely won’t be available for booking by Clubs and Associations as it had been in the interim while the kitchen was empty.
“Students will be able to do whatever they want in their space, in their building,” Gill said.
“I think at the end of the day, everything that’s been either pre-booked or prearranged or pre-thought of, we’ll probably do our best and still maintain it because ’til now we weren’t really amplifying that [Streats] was going to be opening this semester and soon.”
The lounge space area will be closed temporarily while Streats updates the furnishings before the opening on Oct. 21.
