Food truck owner says bylaws making it hard to hit the road

For some time, Paige Hart has been dreaming about opening her own food truck in Charlottetown, where she'll serve healthy tacos and sandwiches, all locally-sourced from Prince Edward Island. 

Hart and her partner Christine Dickey bought a used truck in the fall, and have been working on renovating it into the Holy Fox Food Truck to have it ready for the summer season — but at this point, their plans are still up in the air.

There are three designated spots in the downtown core where food trucks are allowed, and three more for carts, such as a hot dog stand. But for the first time this year, all six spots are filled, leaving Hart and Dickey looking for an exemption. 

"I was a bit disappointed," Hart said. "But it wasn't out of the ordinary, I mean we are just starting our food truck culture here in Charlottetown."

Hoping for bylaw changes

They hope council will approve an exemption to allow them to park and operate their new food truck on Hillsborough Street this summer.

"We love Hillsborough square, the amount of people that walk through here on a daily basis going to work, back and forth, the Murphy's kids that come and play here in the summer after school. We see it as a great spot through the green space connector and on the way to the trail and to Holland College."

In addition to the exemption, Hart said she'd like to see the city change its rules in the future.

She said she's been in touch with some members of council, and plans to ask councillors to support a bylaw amendment, so that there won't be the same limit of spots in years to come.

For those who don't have one of the spots on public land, there is the option to operate on private property. Hart said she has contacted more than 10 businesses, but wasn't able to find one willing to partner with her.

'There's definitely a need'

She said she doesn't think it should be so difficult to operate a business that there's a demand for.

"I could definitely see there's been growth downtown as a whole in the last three years. There's definitely a need for on-the-go food instead of going into a restaurant, sitting down and eating," she said.

"People are looking to be active through the day, wander through the town — especially tourists."

Hart is meeting with the city again later this week and hopes to be up and running in June.

Cst. Todd Sutcliffe with Charlottetown Police Services said any exemptions need approval from city council, a process that could take two to three months.

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