Sales for the new food truck permits went on sale last Thursday but by days end, a paltry six had been sold. The following day, Zane Caplansky (Caplansky's Deli) raged on The Source (Ezra Levant's "provocative" programme on the Sun News Network) to protest everything he sees wrong with City Hall's new bylaws, and explain why he refuses to buy a permit. Here are some of the highlights:
Zane is more angry than Ezra Levant.
You're frustrated, I'm angry. I've been fighting this fight for three years. Why does the entire world understand food trucks except the city of Toronto? It's disgusting.
Who's he mad at?
The restaurant lobby has sold the City Hall a bill of lies. Food trucks don't hurt restaurants.
#CityHallFail
Only six food truck owners have got the license because it's ridiculous; the most expensive mobile food permit anywhere in the world.
Toronto The Good? More like Toronto the $$$$.
It's not a world-class city. It's a world-class expensive city is what we're building here. … Toronto is a third-class city. Toronto is a place where great ideas go to die.
Why food trucks again?
One food truck is a food truck, three food trucks is a party. And that's what we love, when we can give people choice, quality, value, and vibrancy. That's what we offer the city and the city doesn't want it.
#TOpoli
Chow has been tepid. So I'm not exactly sure where Olivia Chow stands on the food truck issue and I'm little bit concerned about that, because her son-in-law did not support food trucks, Adam Vaughan did not love food trucks. Kristen Wong-Tam hates food trucks. … My belief is that politicians listen to the BIAs; they listen to homeowners. Why? Those people vote.
Why food trucks... again?
Six of our members (in the Toronto Food Truck Alliance) have now started restaurants. So, food trucks are an incubator. Small business people want an entry-level way to getting into restaurants, and then they open restaurants, and they employ people, they pay taxes. What else do they want? It's win-win.
· Sales of food truck permits fall flat [Toronto Sun]
· Red Tape Strangling Food Trucks In Toronto [Sun News Network]