The province has allowed Somerset restaurant Union Local 613 to keep its name after initially revoking the moniker on the grounds that it could be misleading to the public.
The restaurant opened in July at the corner of O’Connor Street and Somerset Street West and serves locally grown southern-style food.
ServiceOntario said the name could be mistaken for a labour union.
Conditions set out in Ontario’s Business Names Act state that businesses cannot register names that may mislead the public into believing they are an institution of a different kind.
The restaurant’s name comes from a desire to bring people together, “a brotherhood of growers, cookers and eaters,” said co-owner Ivan Gedz.
The number 613 represents Ottawa’s area code and reflects the restaurant’s desire to be viewed as part of the community.
Co-owner Matt Fantin said the province let them keep the name because of the brand recognition they have already created. In the months since the restaurant opened, they have spent time promoting their name on social media and money on items such as t-shirts.
“The thing I like most about what happened,” said Fantin, “is seeing what can happen when society gets involved, the outcry from the public.”
He said they have seen public support through Twitter and letter writing campaigns to MPPs.
“Customers of ours and people who haven't even been here let MPPs know that they support us,” he said. “That has been really valuable to us.”