Members of Town of Osoyoos council have approved another portable food cart vendor to operate this coming summer and will do a site assessment for a second vendor despite the protestations of a local restaurant owner who appeared before council Monday who presented a petition signed by eight other restaurant owners against the applications.
Payam Sanai, the owner of Pizza Factory restaurant in Osoyoos, said he has talked “to almost every other restaurant owner in town” and they are almost unanimously against allowing more portable food carts to operate in town this summer.
“We’re thinking the pie is already too small,” said Sanai.
Town council voted last spring to allow Beach Bum Lunchbox to operate out of a portable food truck on Gyro Beach.
Two weeks ago, town council was presented with an application by two other small business owners to operate portable food truck operations in town.
Eric Ewing, the owner of Not So Fast … Food has applied to operate his food truck in the parking lot near Kinsmen Park, while Van Doren Chan, owner of ‘O’ so Jus has applied to sell smoothies and hot dogs in the parking lot on Pioneer Walkway.
Chan’s application was approved Monday, while council voted against Ewing’s application to open near Kinsmen Park. However, council did approve a motion for staff to conduct a site assessment of Legion Beach to see if that site is suitable and if Ewing would be in favour of operating his food truck from that location.
Sanai argued these portable food trucks have “an unfair business advantage” as the owners don’t pay taxes and “pack up and leave” following the busy tourist season.
“They’re here for two months and they’re gone,” he said. “For a town this size, we don’t feel it’s big enough to allow these portable trucks. If you’re looking for a variety of food in town, we don’t think we’re missing any that I can think of.
“I’ve seen some horrible, horrible food trucks … and if they’re not done right, it could result in the town looking trashy.”
The reality is most restaurants in Osoyoos make the vast majority of profits in the summer months and allowing these portable food trucks is going to have a significant negative impact on established businesses, he said.
“To me, it’s unfair competition … and I don’t feel they are playing by the same rules as we are.”
Several members of council did not agree with Sanai’s assessment.
Coun. C. J. Rhodes said he doesn’t’ believe it is council’s duty or responsibility to interfere in a “free enterprise system”, but it is their duty to encourage small businesses to open in Osoyoos and assist them in any way they can.
Both of these portable food trucks would be owned and operated by local citizens who already pay taxes and contribute to this community, he added.
Sanai said another big worry is more and more of these portable food businesses would be allowed to open in the future.
“How do you stop 10 more of these food trucks from coming here?” he asked rhetorically. “Once you get started you really can’t say no to anyone who wants to get started.”
Coun. Mike Plante disagreed saying all decisions relating to these portable food vendors must be approved by council.
Other jurisdictions like Williams Lake are tackling the same issue over portable food vendors and a study commissioned by that city shows portable food vendors result in a more vibrant economy and “traditionally complement existing businesses” rather than compete against them, said Plante.
Coun. Michael Ryan reiterated the two food vendor applications were brought forward by Osoyoos residents who live here and pay taxes and both businesses would pay substantial licensing fees and hire local students for the summer.
Coun. Sue McKortoff said while “she does realize there are two sides” to this debate, it’s up to council to decide “what’s best for the town” and she believes these portable food vendors are a nice amenity for people looking for a quick bite rather than a sit-down meal inside a restaurant.
“We have done our homework on this subject,” she said.
Because of its location near Kinsmen Park, which is located near the busy Rattlesnake Canyon amusement park and several fast food restaurants, councillors voted unanimously to deny Ewing’s application to open there, but offered him the opportunity to operate his food cart from Legion Beach.
Mayor Stu Wells said granting a business license on an annual basis will allow council to control how many food carts they will allow in town and to refuse or revoke a license if a business owner doesn’t fulfill all of their contractual obligations.
“If we get this wrong, we can fix it,” he said.
Staff will complete the site assessment at Legion Beach before offering Ewing an opportunity to change his business location. Several members of council indicated they will only allow a limited number of portable food vendors in specific locations this year and in future years.
