VANCOUVER, CANADA – Some food cart owners are upset with the City of Vancouver, saying they are being ripped off for food cart permits when new entrants are paying just a fraction of their rent.

Many operators have been forced to close up shop on their food carts after paying up to $10,000 annually. The operators have been subletting prime spots all over the city, long before the city’s food cart program with its lower rents came into effect.

A city food cart permit today costs just $1,000 a year under the city’s new program.

Disgruntled food truck owners have been petitioning the city for changes to the system for months, and now it appears the city is finally listening.

Deputy City Manager Sadhu Johnston tells Global News that the city is planning a new bylaw to address the subletting of vendor leases.

“In November, staff plan to bring forward a new bylaw to City Council to address the issue of subletting vendor leases. City staff will be recommending to City Council that no subleasing be allowed for food cart permits and that a transition plan be developed for the vendors that are currently working on subleased locations. The City is working to find a balanced approach which ends the practice of subleasing but minimizes the impact on existing vendors whose businesses rely on subleased sites. The transition strategy will be developed with input from vendors over the coming weeks.”

Find the entire article by Peter Meiszner at globalnews.ca <here>