Parking pass cooks up storm

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This article was published 31/03/2015 (3312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg food-truck operators are upset the city has replaced pay-as-you-go parking with a six-month parking pass.

As of today, food trucks in Winnipeg under 22 feet will be required to purchase a six-month pass that costs $1,700. Trucks over 22 feet, which technically take up two parking spaces, will be charged $3,400 for the six-month pass.

Previously, food trucks were required to pay for parking every hour. On Broadway, where most of the vehicles congregate, that worked out to an average of $12 a day, as the parking rate is $2 per hour and most trucks park for six hours, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Colin Stewart, special projects manager for the Winnipeg Parking Authority, claimed the $1,700 pass represents a slight break for food trucks, as the fee works out to less than $12 for each weekday between April 1 and Oct. 31.

He said the city is, in effect, charging food-truck operators for 140 working days a season, while they are eligible to park for 177 weekdays using the pass.

Some food-truck owners, however, say they were not informed about the change to the parking rules in time for the start of the season.

“That’s a lot of money to hit us up with at the start of the year,” said Joyce Powers, co-owner of Sis & Me Mobile Catering.

Primarily, the food-truck operators say the six-month pass is too expensive for those who only park along Broadway for several weeks or months out of the season.

“Some food-truck owners, they don’t come out every day,” said Derek Collins, who owns The Poutine King and also serves as president of the Winnipeg Food Truck Association.

He said a monthly pass would be more convenient and fair for his members. He also complained the higher fee for larger trucks may reduce the number of vehicles on Broadway.

“We’re bringing downtown Winnipeg alive. We’re bringing people out to the street,” he said, noting as many as 15 trucks parking along Broadway in 2014.

“From what I understand, they want to eliminate vehicles on Broadway,” Powers added.

Some downtown Winnipeg restaurant owners, meanwhile, argue food-truck operators are not charged enough to operate.

‘We’re bringing downtown Winnipeg alive. We’re bringing people out to the street’

— Derek Collins, president of the Winnipeg Food Truck Association

Michael Kowalson, who owns two downtown Subway franchises, claimed food trucks have an unfair advantage over restaurants.

“I have $750,000 invested downtown and I employ 20 people,” Kowalson said.

“Is there something wrong with this picture, when between my two stores I’m paying property and business taxes well over $30,000 and a food truck can just roll up and pay $12 in parking a day in front of my door?”

The city has also gotten rid of a $391 annual licensing fee for food trucks this year because the province now handles health inspections. The city gave the province two years’ notice it intended to stop issuing the licence after the province assumed responsibility for all city health inspections.

It’s unclear what provincial health inspectors will charge this year for a Winnipeg food-truck licence. Officials said they have yet to decide.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca