15 Dec 2025 Council meeting Other

Mobile Food Vending Review and Update

Motion
That Council direct Staff to: 1. Bring forward amendments to “Business Licence Bylaw 2021 No. 7318” that include removing the section containing the food vending operational requirements; streamlining the food vending regulatory requirements section; creating a new section that allows dir ectors to approve new food vending locations; and, 2. Initiate a review of food vending fees, fines and additional charges, including a park user fee review and bring forward the results for Council’s consideration at a future meeting.
Minutes, page 5
Sources
Agenda itemCity agenda, whole meeting
Staff reportPage 1
Purpose
To provide Council with an update on the Mobile Food Vending Program review and to present recommended updates based on engagement with key participants and partners.
Staff report, page 1
Staff recommendation
That Council direct Staff to: 1. bring forward amendments of “Business Licence Bylaw 2021 No. 7318” that include removing the section containing the food vending operational requirements ; streamlining the food vending regulatory requirements section; creat ing a new section that allows directors to approve new food vending locations; and, 2. initiate a review of food vending fees, fines and additional charges, including a park user fee review and bring forward the results for Council’s consideration at a future meeting.
Staff report, page 1
DocumentsStaff report about Economic Development, Land Use & Urban Form

Questions and answers

Councillor Sheryl Armstrong
Speaker identificationConfident
Yes

asked
Thank you very much. Councilor Armstrongs and lead us out of the gate. When I met with a group of the food truck drivers, there was some concern about not having as many places. Did you look at and I did email all the ones he sent to us? Did you look at the island highway up by where the old tourist bureau was as an option because that was highly indicated by a lot of the food truck drivers as a spot that would be a nice place to
City staff answered
be. Yes, we did. Unfortunately, I think there's something in the highway regulations bylaw that prohibits that. I do remember
followed up
researching this. That's fine. And then my second question is, when you look at the list on page ten, are those the only city streets because I know that there's food trucks out on other city streets like by the hospital. They're up at Mary Bennett park. Are those legal?
City staff answered
Or they just don't show up on the list. For the on street booking. I'm sorry? For the on street locations they're on. A first come, first serve basis. So all along Duffin, there is also location on Monroe close. To the ferry terminal, and there's some that were in the downtown corps that have been displaced because of development.

Councillor Ian Thorpe
Speaker identificationConfident
Yes

asked
People for a long time. Thank you. Thank you, Councilor Thorpe and Councilor Prinu. Thank you very much for worship. Through you, if I may, to staff. Thank you for being here. I confess to remembering in 2016 when council brought in the food truck bylaw originally and it was at that time very innovative and something quite new. And Mr. Harding spent a lot of work with staff developing that. I'm pleased to see it's really being so successful and the growth in the numbers of the ve. Vendors is quite staggering. Unfortunately, I'm sure we're challenged with the growth in available spaces for those people. To use and to maintain a fairness of opportunity for them. So I'm going to be fully supportive of the recommendation when we get to that. Your worship. But I did have one question, and maybe I just missed it, but in your recommendation. Under number one. It says, creating a new section that allows directors to approve new food vending locations who are the directors that you're referencing. Those staff directors. Or
City staff answered
is it counselors? I just didn't see that sorry through your worship. I'd be staff directors, director of parks. And if it's a street location. Director of transportation. All right,

Councillor Janice Perrino
Speaker identificationConfident
Yes

asked
Thank you, you, worship. And a question through you. This is exciting news. Well done, I think. This is excellent. I'm just wondering, is it island health who takes care of the food? Security, making sure that the truck itself is up to where it needs to be to
City staff answered
Produce food. To the quality that is required. Yes. Food vendors have to apply each year for a business license. And in renewing their license, we ensure that viha is still current. Okay. And it's checked regularly through them. Yes.

Councillor Hilary Eastmure
Speaker identificationConfident
Yes

asked
this councilor Eastmere. Pardon me. If I could just ask one more question through you. I've heard from some folks who are interested in setting up. A mobile. Not a food track, necessarily, but something that would run out of a container like a shipping container. And there's some places, like in larger cities like Vancouver or Victoria, that offer like vending out of something like that. Would that meet our current food truck? Program at all? Or would that be like a completely separate sort of thing that we
City staff answered
Would have? To. If it's stationary, it would be under
City staff answered
Another regulation. Currently, we're only licensing mobile vendors. Okay. And we don't have anything currently that fits that kind of description into. Nimo? Not that I'm aware. Of. Okay. Thank