Roy L Hales/ Cortes Currents - Campbell River has been talking about opening up its streets to food trucks for years. Only 28 of the 600 respondents to a 2018 survey were opposed to the idea, and there have been food trucks at some venues. At their February 9 meeting, city council took steps to make this more of a regular occurrence.
The only discussion was regarding the proposed $35 per day fee.
Councillor Tanille Johnston asked, “I was just wondering, in regard to the fee we're charging, did we look at any other licenses that are similar to this?”
Mayor Kermit Dahl replied, “Yes.”
Economic Development Officer Rose Klukas explained, “We did a review of several of our neighbouring communities and their food truck and mobile vendor licensing. Our fee sits right along the same lines as our neighbouring communities.”
Councillor Susan Sinnott moved, and Councillor Ron Kerr seconded, a motion that the business License bylaw be amended to add criteria for food trucks at designated locations. This motion was carried with no opposing votes.
The six designated locations are:
Spirit Square
Rotary Park
Ken Forde Park
Parking lot at the base of Rockland Road
Maritime Heritage parking lot
and the launch overflow gravel parking lot
In the associated staff report it states, “The waterfront area has several prime undeveloped and underutilizedopening sites such as those currently used for recreational vehicle parking and low value residential. There is a lack of access to retail and services in key locations along the ocean waterfront that is central to creating walkable destinations.”
“Food and beverage services are considered a type of retail services. Permitting food trucks to operate at select public locations along the waterfront and at Spirit Square would create the potential for establishing food retail services that would help to create ‘walkable destinations’ at those locations.”
The report also states that food trucks serve as entry points for people who wish to start up a food business but lack the capital to open a restaurant.
Photo credit: Mini burger Photo by Kobby Mendez on Unsplash
