Steinbach City Council is weighing a possible update to its mobile food vendor policy that would allow food carts to operate near established restaurants under limited circumstances.
The idea was discussed during a recent meeting of the Strategic Priorities Committee, which includes all members of council.
Policy review considers special event exceptions near restaurants
The proposed change would create a new exemption allowing food carts to be hosted on private property for a special event, once per year, even if the location falls within 122 metres of an existing restaurant.
Deputy Mayor Michael Zwaagstra said the city is looking to strike a balance between supporting local restaurants and accommodating special events.
“The city has a policy stating that food carts cannot be located within 122 meters of an established restaurant,” said Zwaagstra. “And that’s to protect the established restaurants, who of course invest significant funds in their buildings and infrastructure and have contributed in a big way to the community.”
He noted that while the general rule would remain in place, council is discussing a potential one-time exception for specific celebrations.
“We know that there are occasions when a private business may want to host a food cart for a special event,” he explained. “What we’re having an active conversation about is the possibility of a one-time event exception being allowed.”
Zwaagstra emphasized that no decisions have been made yet.
“There is no change to the policy at this point,” he said. “We also decided that we need some time to draft this policy, if we are going to go in this direction. So there’s not going to be any immediate changes. If there are any changes, it would likely be for next year.”
He added that it’s important to proceed carefully, recognizing that policies can have unintended consequences.
The current conditions of license approval for mobile food vendors include:
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No operation within 122 metres of a restaurant
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Compliance with all provincial regulations
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Provision of a garbage container and cleanup
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No use of street rights-of-way
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Written landowner approval if on private property
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Permission from the city to operate on public property
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An exception at A.D. Penner Park only when the park concession stand is closed
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A business license fee of $100 for Steinbach residents and $300 for non-residents
Notably, food vendors participating in the city's annual Summer in the City festival are exempt from these conditions.
City Council previously reviewed the policy in February 2022, considering amendments that would have reduced the distance requirement to just 10 metres and allowed parking on street rights-of-way. Those changes were ultimately rejected by council, citing concerns about the potential impact on established restaurants.