We Need Your Input: Refreshment Vehicle Licensing in Sarnia

Businesses and residents in Sarnia are invited to share their input with the City as it reviews the current regulations and licensing requirements for refreshment vehicles, including food trucks. The focus of the review is on where these vehicles can operate within the community, potentially expanding their permitted locations, especially on private property.

Did you know? The existing By-law mandates that refreshment vehicles must be licensed with the City. It also prohibits them from operating within 180 metres of each other and within 90meters of existing restaurants.

To participate, residents can learn more and complete at short survey by March 7 at speakupsarnia.ca/FoodTrucks.

Written comments can also be submitted to the City Clerk's Office via email to clerks@sarnia.ca 

Learn more about the types of vehicles covered by the Business Licensing By-law and the restrictions places on them:

•  Refreshment vehicles include carts, wagons, trucks, tricycles, mobile canteens, and trailers.

•  They cannot operate within 6 meters of abuilding entrance or bus stop without permission, on City property without approval, within 90 meters of a restaurant serving similar items, or without a license.

•  They also cannot operate with 180 meters of another licensed refreshment vehicle.

Other limitations impacting refreshment vehicle operations and locations include permitted property uses under the Zoning By-law, space and infrastructure limitations of public loans, existing agreements with vehicles operating in public spaces, and traffics and parking requirements and regulations.