Mayor cuts red tape on food trucks, declares first 'Food Truck Freedom Day'

Six food trucks, their hungry customers and the Toronto mayor converged on Nathan Phillips Square Wednesday to celebrate Food Truck Freedom Day.

Mayor John Tory declared Wednesday Food Truck Freedom Day earlier this month to mark the easing of the rules around food truck permits.

The trucks will now be allowed operate 30 metres from an open and operating restaurant, they will be able to stay in place for five hours every 24 hours, instead of the current three, and they will also be allowed to use five square metres of sidewalk, up from 3.48 square metres.

This comes a year after the city allowed food trucks to operate in downtown parking spots.

In a statement issued prior to the May 5 ruling, Tory said that the city boasts "a thriving, diverse and celebrated food scene" but city hall created "a regulatory regime that was an abject failure."

Tory has been an advocate of food trucks from before he was mayor. He said food trucks could barely make a profit in the city due to the rules around them.

"Thankfully I can say this week we will be easing restrictions that will allow food trucks to operate in a way that sets them up for success – and frankly just makes sense," Tory said.