Baby Got Bannock is one of only two food trucks to possess a 2020 business licence from the city of Prince Albert. (Facebook/Baby Got Bannock)

By Nigel Maxwell

City Hall

Food truck debate heats up, as city gets closer to tougher restrictions

Aug 12, 2020 | 2:00 PM

Pending a future vote by Prince Albert city council, food truck vendors in the city will have to maintain a 100 m. buffer zone from any established restaurant.

The bylaw amendment was discussed during Monday’s executive committee meeting. Planning manager Craig Guidinger explained there will be a number of locations available in the city for the food trucks to park.

“One of the more significant concerns I had was will we still be able to have mobile food vendors downtown. The answer to that question is yes we will,” he said.

“Our city needs to start thinking community over competition” _{– Kyra Robillard/ Baby Got Bannock}

Guidinger went on to explain the amended bylaw would still allow the trucks to park across from city hall on 10th St. E,. as well on River Street between first Ave. W and first Ave. E.

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According to the city’s current policy, food truck vendors cannot operate in front of a restaurant or business without written permission, but are free to otherwise park where they choose.

“We discussed this [amendment] with some mobile food vendors and while they are not entirely pleased, they do understand where [council is] coming from with [their] concerns and the concerns of some of our local established restaurant businesses,” Guidinger said.

Ward two councillor Terra Lennox Zepp raised the point that other cities in Saskatchewan have softer restrictions. Saskatoon, Regina and Moose Jaw currently have 20 m exclusion zones in place.

“One hundred metres is quite long and these are businesses in our community and I really prefer a more reasonable smaller distance,” she said.

Lennox-Zepp went on to read a passage from a report to executive committee which included a quote from the Downtown Improvement District. The quote indicated food truck vendors help increase downtown traffic and helps assist existing businesses.

“This does restricts our downtown to two specific locations for food trucks and that restriction is an unfair one,” Lennox-Zepp said.

Kyra Robillard owns and operates Baby Got Bannock. She explained to paNOW her feeling that the amendment is unfair.

“I only operate four months out of the year and a handful of days in those months. So if my tiny small business affects these businesses that are open every day, don’t you think they need to revamp their business strategy,” she said.

Robillard explained her business offers something different than what’s currently offered in the downtown. She also said she understood the argument that food truck vendors don’t pay land taxes and so should not get priority.

“There’s nothing stopping these other businesses from going mobile so they are choosing to have a stationary location and I chose to have a mobile one. Our city needs to start thinking community over competition,” she said.

While the amendment was tentatively approved during Monday’s executive meeting, it still requires a formal vote at the next city council meeting. The 100 m buffer zone will not apply during special events.

Ward six councilor Blake Edwards raised the point that in the event of some tournaments, organizers have had a difficult time in the past securing food options due to difficulties finding staff to work the concession stand.

Guidinger said the amendment was written with concessions in mind, but added if an event takes place in the city and there was a limit on the number of food options, the mobile truck operators would have every opportunity to apply to be there.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell