Toronto city council eases restrictions on food trucks

The red tape that has stifled Toronto food truck operatorshas been loosenedslightly.

It turns out very few truck operators were willing to pay hefty fees only to be told that they had to stay at least 50 metres from any so-called brick and mortar restaurants.

Toronto city councilvoted 43-1 on Tuesdayto ease the rules aroundfood truck permits, allowing them to operate 30 metres from an open and operating restaurant.

The trucks will be able to stay in place for five hours every 24 hours, instead of the current three. Trucks will also be allowed to use five square metres of sidewalk, up from 3.48 square metres.

This comesayear after the city allowed food trucks to operate in downtown parkingspots.

Ward 15 Coun. Josh Colle said people realized "the world's not going to fall apart by having a few more fish tacos."

"We're often so timid in this city.Idon'tunderstandit, butI think food trucks, for a lot of residents, are emblematic of what they want to see out of city hall,"Collesaid to reporters.

"Just let entrepreneurs do their businessand give residents their choices. They don't careabout spats between certain segments of anindustry."

Changing the rules from 50 to 30 metres means about 1,200 new parking spots will open up throughout the city, according tothe chef of onefood truck, Blazin Cajun.

"It's going to give us a much bigger audience," said Chef Ramon.

Tuesday's move was seen as a compromise.

Good for business

"I would have it at three metres but I guess that there's arecognition that there'ssome kind ofbalancing act that has to be done in council chamber. Soit's, Ithink, excellentprogress," said Colle.

Mayor John Tory has been a proponent of relaxing the rules and doing away with regulatory red tape in the city.

"Wesimply have to to find more ways, as I believewe havedone in this instance,to say yes as a council," he said on council.

OnMonday,Tory said in a speech to the Toronto Region Board of Tradethatbusinesses both established and fledgling are being "stifled by endless bylaws and a Byzantine regulatory environment."

• Taxis, food trucks face 'byzantine' city rules, Tory says

Part of the resistance to food truck operations in the city has also been from restaurant owners who feel threatened byincreased competition.

However, the head of the Toronto Food Truck Alliance, Zane Caplansky,believes Tuesday's council decisionwill actuallybe good for established restaurants.

Caplansky himself owns both a food truck and a traditional restaurant.

"Iwouldrather have deli trucks in front ofCapansky'sbecausefood people wouldget a sandwich from them, a sandwich from me. They'dbe tweeting and Instagrammingthose things and it becomesa bit of a scene," he said.

"The same reason that Home Depot, and Canadian Tire, andRonaalllocate in the same area," he added."Competition is good for business."