TORONTO – Hot dog stands just don’t suffice for the city’s street food appetite.
A new social media campaign, called the Toronto Street Food Project (TSFP), has taken the city by storm, calling on hungry residents to write to local politicians so that food trucks become city council’s priority.
The Street Food Project’s website allows users to select their ward/councilor in a drop down menu and has a pre-written petition, appealing to politicians about Toronto’s “dynamic and innovative food culture.”
“I am writing this letter as your constituent and as a resident of Toronto who wants better street food in the city,” the petition says.
It says Toronto used to be peppered with food cart vendors – 300 to be precise – and because of restrictive rules, there are only 119.
“This is the wrong direction for vibrant city streets and bringing people out to shop in our local businesses.”
According to the TSFP, the food sector provides Toronto with 58,000 jobs, making Canada’s largest city the second largest food hub in North America.
The website is only two months old and was created by web designer Mark MacDonald, who worked for a former city councilor.
Food trucks are a source of contention in municipal politics. While they have gained in popularity all across North America, they’ve been marred in Toronto where complicated by-laws challenge vendors.
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