Item - 2007.HL3.12

The Board of Health:

1.         requested the Minister of Health and Long Term Care to amend the provincial food safety regulations without compromising food safety to allow for a broader range of street food that is healthy, affordable and culturally diverse.

2.         requested that the Public Health staff and the Chair of the Board of Health look for opportunities to present New Toronto Street Food on a limited basis, as early as this summer, in accordance with existing regulations for some special events.

3.         endorsed efforts to create new Toronto Street Food which meets the following criteria:

a.         is prepared and served in a way that does not compromise food safety;

b.         is nutritious;

c.         is affordable;

d.         reflects the ethno-cultural diversity of our City;

e.         will help make Toronto a more interesting place to live in and visit; and

f.          uses locally grown and produced food as much as possible.

4.         requested that the Medical Officer of Health, in anticipation of legislative change consult with staff of Municipal Licensing and Standards to determine whether changes in City licensing regulations might be required in order to create new vending locations for new street food (as outlined above), and to look at protocols so that restaurants do not face unfair competition from street vendors.

5.         requested that Toronto’s chefs, restaurant owners, and others in the food preparation industry be invited to participate in the creation of new Toronto Street Food.

6.         requested that the Board be kept informed of progress on this initiative.