New food truck licensing for Waterloo

If you’re looking for a quick bite to eat while exploring the city of Waterloo this summer you can check out one of the new, but potentially temporary, food trucks located throughout the city.

The city of Waterloo is running a food truck licensing pilot project until December 31, 2013. Licensed food trucks will have the opportunity to operate in areas in Uptown Waterloo, in addition to any other locations approved throughout the city.

“City council passed this July of last year, 2012,” explained Olga Smith, deputy city clerk.

“It was generally in the interest that they wanted to bring food trucks into the core, to provide a different sort of venue for people to have access to.”

When the project expires at the end of this year city council will vote to determine if food trucks will become a permanent feature in the city.

Smith expressed that the City did not have any specific concerns over bringing food trucks to the Uptown core, the pilot project was decided upon to provide feedback over what worked and ways to improve.

Hopeful food truck operators would have to pay an annual license fee of $2, 215, or $171 for one day of operation.

Operators must also provide approval by the Region of Waterloo Public Health, a propane inspection by a certified gas fitter, a fire safety certificate, general and automotive liability insurance, and a plan for the containment and disposal of food waste and other garbage. Some former Waterloo businesses have already expressed interest in food trucks.

When Ish and Chips burned down last August, they made plans to set up a food truck selling the popular fish and chips they had before the fire.