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North Cowichan considers food trucks

Municipality to hold a public hearing on June 21
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The Municipality of North Cowichan will hold a public hearing on June 21 regarding mobile food vending. (File image)

A public hearing on the issue of food trucks in North Cowichan will be held on June 21.

The municipality’s bylaws currently have no mention of mobile food vending and, by default, food carts and food trucks are considered “restaurants”.

As well, North Cowichan does not have any guidance about what municipal parks or public spaces mobile food vendors may use.

Natasha Horsman, North Cowichan’s community planning coordinator, said in a report to council that the municipality reviewed a number of other communities and how they regulate mobile food vending units for guidance.

She said North Cowichan has identified a variety of areas where mobile food vendors could set up if the bylaw is implemented.

Horsman said they include six municipally owned parks; Kin Beach in Chemainus, Fuller Lake, Chemainus Lake, Beverly Street dog park, Art Mann Park and the parking lot of the municipal forest reserve.

“They would also be allowed on any private property that’s zoned commercial, industrial or institutional with the owners’ permission, as well as some public-use locations, like the Forest Discovery Centre.” she said.

“As well, they wouldn’t be allowed within 30 metres of brick-and-mortar restaurants, 100 metres from an elementary school and 150 metres from a special event.”

Horsman said the proposed new bylaw would not apply to not-for-profit activities, and also wouldn’t apply to activities under a special-event permit.

She also said North Cowichan’s parks and recreation department is in the process of launching a healthy foods policy in parks and recreational facilities.

“This policy was not ready to be incorporated into proposed mobile food regulations at this time, but staff anticipate that a healthy food requirements for mobile food vending in parks will be phased in, potentially in 2018,” Horsman said.

Dan Bertrand is the kitchen manager at Duncan’s Just Jakes restaurant, and is also responsible for the restaurant’s food truck which is only used for special events.

He said, generally, many brick-and-mortar restaurants in the Valley see food trucks as healthy competition.

“They tend to bring more people into the downtown core,” he said.

“But they make restaurants nervous as well. We have to pay property taxes while the mobile vendors just roll their units off of a truck.”



Robert Barron

About the Author: Robert Barron

Since 2016, I've had had the pleasure of working with our dedicated staff and community in the Cowichan Valley.
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