Nanaimo City Council has endorsed a new licensing system aimed at making the city more welcoming for food trucks.
One license will cover food carts, trucks and trailers for multiple locations. Vendors will be able to go online daily to choose a spot, on a first-come-first-serve basis.
There will be 12 locations in all, including Departure Bay and Maffeo Sutton Park, and 5 spots downtown.
But Councillor Gord Fuller says the downtown locations, including Albert Street and in front of the courthouse, aren’t the best and there aren’t enough places where more than one food truck can set up at the same time. Maffeo Sutton Park is the only exception.
“This isn’t that flexible,” he remarked. “It’s good, it’s got some great stuff in it. I won’t deny that. But I see it as very restrictive.”
Councillor Jim Kipp had similar thoughts, noting that “The whole idea of food trucks is choice… they’re (the public) not all going to eat tacos.”
Still, Councillors seem to agree the new licensing plan is a step in the right direction.
The City will review how things are going after a year.
