Saskatoon is getting closer to regulation of food trucks like the ones seen here in Austin, Texas.
Photograph by: Keith Morgan , PNG

Saskatoon has a recipe for a new food truck policy, but one ingredient may still be missing: namely, a place for people dining on the street to answer calls of nature.

“My question, which I haven’t seen answered in any of the recommendations, is who is providing bathrooms?” Jimmy Oneschuk asked the city’s planning and operations committee on Tuesday.

Oneschuk, who recently opened Museo Coffee on Broadway, said he spent more than $15,000 installing running water and washrooms in his new location. He thinks it’s unfair for food trucks, which could be making their way onto his block this summer, to take advantage of those facilities.

“I’m all for competition as long as there is a level playing field and I don’t have to share my facilities with a food truck,” Oneschuk said.

The committee approved the city’s new food truck policy on Tuesday, though it still needs final approval by city council. The policy stipulates that the trucks will licensed, inspected and not allowed to operate within 20 meters of any existing restaurant.

The trucks will have to comply with all provincial health and safety regulations, and civic officials say they’re willing to work with the appropriate agencies and vendors to ensure that the food trucks have access to washroom facilities.

The Broadway business district will override the 20-meter buffer zone and allow food trucks to operate along the busy commercial strip, the committee heard.

“We are essentially looking to make the buffer zone mute on Broadway,” said Sarah Marchildon, executive director of the Broadway Business Improvement District.

The BID will receive applications from potential vendors and determine where the food trucks can operate, but it will be up to individual vendors to make deals with nearby businesses and the city to use washroom facilities.

According to the provincial regulations governing mobile food trucks, “arrangements for adequate public washroom facilities should be made between the operator, municipality and/or private individuals.”

In other cities, such as Portland, Oregon, where food trucks have become popular, the trucks are clustered in specific areas and washrooms are provided.

Saskatoon’s food trucks will be able to operate in commercial districts, but not in residential neighbourhoods.

City councillors at Tuesday’s meeting were convinced that the new food truck policy provides fairness for existing businesses and vendors alike.

“You want to see something succeed, but you need to find that balance,” Coun. Charlie Clark told the committee after the 20-meter buffer zone was agreed upon. “We are striking a balance here.”

The policy goes to city council next week for final approval. If approved, the trucks could hit the streets in June.

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Concerns+about+washrooms+food+truck+patrons+raised/8384807/story.html

REGINA – Dustin Rapitta cannot wait to start barbecuing.

He calls himself the ‘pit master’ of Prairie Smoke and Spice, one of the Regina area food trucks that are making their return to the city within the next few days and weeks.

“It’s been a very long winter for everybody, but to us who love to smoke, and depend on the weather to smoke, it seems like an extra long winter,” said Rapitta.

“We’re pretty excited to get the pits fired up again, and get back out on (City Square Plaza).”

Technically, food trucks could already be up and running in Regina. A permit runs from January to December but cold weather has kept the vendors from venturing out.

“We’ve started to issue permits, and we’re just waiting for the weather at this point,” said Chris Sale, the city’s downtown senior planner.

With warmer temperatures on the way, the Regina Downtown Business Improvement District (RDBID) hopes the success from last year’s pilot project will continue in 2013.

“I think that just adds to the dynamic to our downtown and really shows how vibrant it can be,” said RDBID’s executive director Judith Veresuk. “There’s a lot of variety, a lot of people go to the food court, they go to the restaurants and the pubs and cafes, but the food trucks are just another option for them.”

For $500 food trucks can get a permit to vend throughout the city. If they want to come to City Square Plaza in the heart of downtown Regina, it is an additional $600 for the whole year. Last year there was no charge for that.

This is the second year of a two year pilot project for food trucks in Regina. At the end of the season the city will decide if it should continue to 2014 and beyond. Vendors hope they do.

“A lot of people said they don’t usually leave their offices for lunch, but this gave them an opportunity to come out and explore the trucks and spend some time in the park,” said Rapitta.

This year’s line up has even more variety, with the addition of trucks specializing in chicken and crepes.

Sale said the city has talked about closing city square plaza to traffic while the trucks are around, but will take a “wait and see approach”.

http://globalnews.ca/news/527956/food-trucks-preparing-to-make-return-to-regina/

This Vancouver food truck serves a long line of people. Vancouver is one of the cities Saskatoon has looked at when building it’s food truck policy.

After lengthy discussion the city’s Planning and Operating Committee decided the Food Truck Policy, which was presented to the committee on Tuesday, needs some re-tooling before it goes to city council for final approval.

Committee members, as well as speakers from the affected BIDS, raised concerns over a number of regulations outlined in the original policy, specifically about taxation and the 30-metre buffer zone between a food truck and an existing restaurant.

Councillors Darren Hill and Mairin Loewen said they felt the 30-metre buffer would limit the ability for a food truck proprietor to successfully operate a business.

“I will not be supporting the 30-metres. I can support 10-metres and also a description that would prohibit them from being directly across the block from a restaurant,” said Hill.

Similarly, a buffer of 30-metres leaves no room for food trucks in the Broadway BID area, which councillor Charlie Clark said supports the program.

Committee chair councillor Randy Donauer said he isn’t concerned about placement, but would like to see an in-depth examination on how other cities tax food trucks to ensure there is a level playing field for all businesses.

Re-tooling the policy

Other items city administration will be examining are:

• Examine if clustering food trucks, or having more on one block is a viable option
• Get rid of the clause that gave BIDs discretion around alternate Food Truck location
• Broaden consultation to include hotels and restaurants beyond whom they’ve already spoken with.

http://metronews.ca/news/saskatoon/592735/food-trucks-in-saskatoon-get-stalled-at-committee/

Clement Chan and chef Kris Girard serve up Asian dishes from Le Tigre food cart at 8th and Cambie in Vancouver on Tuesday, Feb. 12.
Photograph by: Gerry Kahrmann , The Province

Food trucks are coming to public parking stalls in Saskatoon, despite opposition from some downtown restaurants, says Mayor Don Atchison.

“I want to make one thing clear: We are going to end up with food trucks in Saskatoon,” Atchison told the City of Saskatoon’s planning and operations committee on Tuesday.

Trucks that serve everything from pizza to tacos to shawarma and seafood are a red hot food trend in North America and have even inspired a reality television show.

City councillors in Saskatoon are overwhelmingly in favour of joining the mobile food truck trend, but they want to make sure policies don’t take an unfair bite out of the existing restaurant business.

Saskatoon’s downtown business association allows a limited number of hotdog and ice cream “food cart” vendors in the downtown core, but motorized food trucks can’t currently park on public property and are restricted to private commercial areas such as parking lots.

The city had originally proposed a one-year pilot project that would allow mobile food trucks to park in public stall so long as they stayed 30 metres away from any existing restaurant. But at the meeting councillors said the pilot program should be replaced with a permanent policy that is fair to businesses and food truck owners alike.

“I don’t think that the competition between these food trucks and restaurants is bad thing. I think it needs to be fair,” said Coun. Randy Donauer.

A petition circulated by the owner of Bus Stop Refreshments — the stationary double-decker bus that is may be the closest thing Saskatoon has to a food truck — shows opposition from many downtown restaurants.

“I still feel that Saskatoon’s core business district does not have an adequate population to support mobile food trucks,” Laurel Beaumont, owner of Bus Stop Refreshments, told the committee.

“You risk market saturation.”

Instead of food trucks, Beaumont said sidewalk seating and buskers could improve the street life in places like the downtown.

But many city councillors on the committee called for a loosening of the restrictions on where mobile food trucks could park. The current buffer zone of 30 metres from existing restaurants would prevent food trucks from operating in some areas where they would be most successful, councillors said.

“Broadway is one of our most pedestrian active parts of the city — it’s a place where people congregate — and I think it would be a real shame if it was not included in this pilot project,” Coun. Mairin Loewen said.

Councillors asked city officials to review the areas where food trucks can operate and to see if there is a way to tax food truck operators.

Food truck operators would pay about $2,300 a year for a parking meter hood. They would also pay the cost of a business licence.

Atchison and some councillors say the trucks need to be taxed heavier to ensure “a level playing field.”

After further consultation with the hospitality industry, the city planning team will come back to the committee in two weeks with an updated food truck policy that will have to eventually be approved by city council.

That policy, with the changes made by council, will likely be adopted into the city bylaws permanently, the committee heard. If the policy is approved by council, trucks could be hitting the streets as early as May.

http://www.thestarphoenix.com/life/Food+trucks+coming+says+Atchison/8086806/story.html

photo credit: Metro/Morgan Modjeski
Jonathan Schryer, owner and general manager of Schryer’s Smoked BBQ Shack poses for a photo in Jan. beside one of his restaurants’ two mobile food trucks.

As we roll closer to spring, Saskatoon’s Planning and Operations Committee will consider a proposal next week for a one-year On-Street Mobile Food Truck Pilot Program.

The pilot program, which is slated to launch in May of this year, will see food trucks in operation over a one-year period while the new policies and procedures are evaluated.

The proposal outlines the specifics about where a food truck can and cannot park, which were determined through examining policies in other cites—Regina, Saskatoon, Calgary—with established food trucks. Some prohibited street locations include:

• Within 30 metres of an existing restaurant or food establishment
• Within 30 metres of a park concession
• Within 150 metres of a special event or festival
• Within residential zoning districts and streets adjacent to residential zoning districts

Check out the maps provided by the city below:

Food Truck location maps by

Some other policies presented in the report are:

• $500 license fee, plus a $95 licensing fee is required for the base of operations (your home or otherwise)
• Trucks will be allowed to place a custom parking meter hood when parked. The hood will cost $60 and hooding a meter can cost more than $2,300.
• Mobile trucks “must be aesthetically pleasing in appearance, clean and well lit,” be no more than 8,000 kilograms in weight, 2.5 metres in width and 9.75 metres in length.

The Planning and Operations Committee meets Tuesday March 12 to review and discuss the plan.

http://metronews.ca/news/saskatoon/588073/saskatoons-food-truck-plan-looks-to-park-and-set-up-shop/

Food Trucks could be coming to Saskatoon much sooner than a north commuter bridge and the city had its chance to hear from the public about their thoughts on allowing food-mobiles on public property.

“I personally think these can bring life and vitality to our city and I’d like to see them,” said councillor Mairin Loewen.

Currently food trucks are allowed on private properties according the bylaw, but the city recognizes there’s opportunity for both sides to allow these vendors on public spaces such as down by the river bank or in and around the downtown core.

“There were a number of inquiries received by city councilors in 2012,” said Alan Wallace, manager of community services.

“Where the administration got involved is we got an inquiry from one councillor to review our policy and that’s where we’re at right now.”

Wallace said part of the reason the city held an open house on Thursday at Francis Morrison Library, was to illustrate to the public what food trucks could look like and where they could potentially be around the city. Another reason was to dispel the misconception that food trucks are banned in the city.

“We want people to understand what’s currently allowed and give us some feedback on what they think should be allowed for our food truck policy,” said Wallace.

At the open house residents had the chance to place red stickers on a map of Saskatoon, laying potential spots where they would like to see mobile food trucks.

For Denise Kouri, she said allowing food trucks downtown will add to the vibrant food culture downtown.

“It would be nice to have ethnic ones and health food (trucks),” she said.

Ward 1 councillor Darren Hill said he wants the administration to take the review one step further to see if they could allow food trucks on city-owned parks.

“We could open up the Meewasin Valley, not for food trucks but for food carts along the trail,” said Hill.

“Food trucks will add to the quality of life and the cultural enhancements we have throughout the City of Saskatoon. It’s a positive thing for everyone.”

Potential hot spots for mobile food trucks include Second Avenue between 23rd and 24th Streets with a 30 meter buffer from full service restaurants and nightclubs. 20th Street between Avenues H and F were also identified as possible locations. However, many residents who attended the open house put stickers all along the river bank.

A report from the city’s administration on food truck policy is expected to be released in the spring.

http://cjme.com/story/residents-could-see-food-trucks-summer/93452

Food trucks, like this one from Calgary, could soon offer their mobile menus in downtown Saskatoon.

Mobile food trucks are a bit hit in North America, they’ve even inspired their own show on the Food Network. But, in Saskatoon, they’re few and far between. However, Thursday the city held an open house to see if that should change.

“You can have a mobile food truck here in Saskatoon. You can have it downtown on any privately owned site, which is zoned for commercial purposes,” Allan Wallace, branch manager of planning and development with the city said.

“Where they’re currently permitted is on the street and in parking stalls,” he said.

This could change. The city is currently looking at relaxing the rules so that food trucks can use the street to sell their mobile menus.

At the open house people expressed their support for the idea.

There’s also support for the trucks from their competition. “Variety is always great. The more services and amenities the downtown can offer, the better. It just helps to create a stronger downtown core,” Greg Clark, general manager of Hudson’s said.Foo

http://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/food-trucks-in-the-future-1.1128640

The City of Saskatoon is inviting residents to voice their opinion on commercial enterprises in downtown riverbank parks and mobile food truck regulations in the city.

A “come-and-go” open house is scheduled for Jan. 24 at Frances Morrison Library from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Here residents will have access to information about what makes a successful park. They’ll also have access to maps outlining what enterprises currently exist and details on future commercial opportunities as well.

The public will also be able to see current regulations for mobile food trucks along with potential options to expand these regulations and provide on-street operation.

Staff from the city will be present at the open house to answer questions from the public.

http://metronews.ca/news/saskatoon/513331/city-seeks-public-input-on-mobile-food-trucks-parks/

BUDZ Burgers

With more food trucks comes more problems for the City of Regina

After some frustrations Wednesday at the City Square plaza in Regina, the city admitted there are some “growing pains” to be worked through as the space is opened to food trucks.

Some trucks are already parking on the plaza space over lunch hours to sell their wares.

But Wednesday an inner-city youth workshop that had booked the stage area at Cornwall Street for a performance ran into problems. A truck refused to shut down a noisy gas generator being used for power.

The city’s Chris Sale said the vendor was using a loud gas generator — and wasn’t able to turn it off while the kids were performing.

“Some of the vendors are running generators. And we’re finding that the generators are loud.”

Sale said a lottery is being held for the trucks to reserve spaces for next year and that should help solve such problems.

“Vendors who are operating on the plaza won’t be using generators, they’ll be plugging into the power that was established as part of the development of the plaza.”

The pilot program is still new, and kinks are being worked out, but Sale said the vendors, and the city, are learning as they go.

“The vendors are starting to work as a community down there and provide me with updates.”

The health ministry is responsible for regulating the trucks and their operations…but the city will help them work with others who book the plaza space.

http://cjme.com/story/food-truck-problems-downtown-regina/60498