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Essa keeps ban on outdoor food carts

July 12, 2013   ·   0 Comments

Essa council will continue to prohibit outside food carts unless, they are operated by existing restaurants in the municipality.

Township council decided to keep its existing bylaw after hearing from Witold Jasek who wanted to operate a food cart serving hot dogs and sausages at an Angus plaza.

Jasek called the township bylaw “discriminatory” and compared the bylaw to the sort of legislation that might have seen in an East European dictatorship.

Councillor Ron Henderson said that he was on council about 15 years ago and that it had come about because existing restaurants in the township were afraid of unfair competition.

“When you are paying pretty high taxes for your building, I definitely can see the point,” he said. The bylaw allows existing restaurants to operate food carts as part of their business.

Deputy mayor Sandie Macdonald  agreed that she could see the restaurant’s arguments against the independent food carts.

“They’re paying $5,000 or $6,000 per year in municipal taxes. Its hard to compete against someone who isn’t paying anything like that.”

Mayor Terry Dowdall added that if the township allowed one independent food cart, then the township would have to allow anyone who wanted to go into business.

“We might see 25 carts in Angus on Mill Street and its not something that I would support,” he said.

Councillor Keith White, who represents the Angus area, said that he was satisfied with the current bylaw.

“And I don’t support placing a referendum on the next election ballot on food carts.”

By Richard Blanchard

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