A local ice cream truck vendor says he may be forced to move if Saskatoon’s food truck policy continues to prevent him from selling ice cream in local neighbourhoods.
Louis Schoenherr, who runs Allison’s Scoop Ice Cream with his wife out of Martensville, said Saskatoon’s food truck regulations do not allow them to operate in residential zones.
That means his ice cream truck is prohibited driving around local neighbourhoods and selling cold treats on hot summer days.
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“We’ve tried to get the city to change the rules,” Schoenherr said. “But because last year was an election year the city didn’t want to look at anything.”
The city’s food truck policy states that “mobile food trucks shall not operate within residential zoning districts and streets adjacent to residential zoning districts.”
It’s a rule he says that fails to properly recognize ice cream trucks.
“Saskatoon has not made any kind of distinction between an ice cream truck and a regular food truck, and food trucks are not allowed in residential (areas),” Schoenherr said.
Schoenherr recently started an online petition to try to get Saskatoon, Warman and Martensville to change their regulations. Those neighbouring cities also have restrictions on ice-cream trucks in residential neighbourhoods, with Warman changing its laws after last summer, he said.
He said time is limited because most food truck businesses start booking their summer events in January.
But Schoenherr said his business has a backup plan if they can’t get the changes they need.
“We’re moving to Regina. Regina’s rules are very good for food trucks. It took them a while, but they installed very good rules and regs,” he said.
Bylaws in the City of Regina do not prohibit food trucks from operating in residential areas, but they do place time restrictions on how long a vendor can sell for. Schoenherr said Regina might be their best — and last — option.
“Residential, as long as you’re not parked on the same block for more than 20 minutes, no problem.” Schoenherr said.
Even with the restrictions from Saskatoon’s city policies and bylaws in Martensville and Warman, Schoenherr insisted ice cream trucks are still popular in the summer.
“Last summer, Warman allowed us to run in residential (areas),” Schoenherr said. “And it worked perfectly fine — all the people loved it, kids loved it. But Warman and Martensville want to be like Saskatoon.”
Saskatoon’s On-Street Mobile Food Truck Policy came into effect in 2013. A review of the policy was expected this fall and any changes would follow in the spring of 2017.
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