Food Carts

What Do I Need to Do to Operate a Food Cart?

  • obtain a non-motorized refreshment vehicle owner licence
  • to sell your food on the sidewalk, obtain a sidewalk vending permit and apply for designated sidewalk locations.

Where Can I Operate?

  • on sidewalks (in selected wards) and private property
  • at least 25 metres from an open and operating restaurant and another sidewalk vendor selling food
  • at least 30 metres from a place of worship or the property line of a school.
  • must not operate in front of a building entrance/exit, name/number, fire hose connection, or display window

Individuals, partnerships or corporations.

Apply in person at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office at East York Civic Centre, 850 Coxwell, 3rd floor.

Non-Motorized Refreshment Vehicle Owner licence:  $410.31

Original documents required for all applications (and renewal transactions).

Two pieces of government-issued identification (one must be photo ID):

  • Canadian Passport (photo ID)
  • Driver’s Licence (photo ID)
  • Canadian Birth Certificate
  • Citizenship Card
  • Permanent Resident Card
  • SIN Card (Social Insurance Number)
  • Valid Work Permit

Note:

  • First and last names must match on all identification
  • We do not accept Health Cards

Partnerships and corporations must also provide the following:

  • a business location/address
  • a copy of provincial business name registration or signed franchise agreement
  • a partnership agreement

Or

  • a copy of Articles of Incorporation (Note: If there has been a change to the list of officers and directors, please also provide a current Corporate Profile Report.)

If the president, director or officer of the corporation are unable to apply in person at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, a designate may apply on their behalf. The designate must:

  • have an original letter advising of their signing authority on the corporation letterhead
  • provide two pieces of identification for themselves
  • provide two pieces of identification for each officer and director of the corporation, or, if original identification is not available, notarized photocopies of the identification.

Applicants must provide an original Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check issued by a Canadian Police Service within 280 days prior to the application.

Please note:

After November 1st, 2018, under Province’s Police Record Checks Reform Act, 2015, Municipal Licensing and Standards will require “Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Checks” for all applications and renewals. “Criminal Record Checks” will not be accepted.

Applicants must provide proof of $1,000,000 in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance.

A form certificate will be provided at time of application for your insurance provider to complete.

Completed forms that are signed and stamped by the insurer can be returned by fax or email directly from the insurer.

Proof of a Health Inspection from Toronto Public Health.  You can arrange this by calling 311 or the Health Connection Line at 416-338-7600.

Food Handler Certification for owner and any staff.

Applicants must obtain:

Bring in a photo of the cart, as well as a sketch indicating dimensions.

A photo of the owner will be taken at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office.

A list of products and food items sold.

A form will be provided at time of application.

Information about where the cart will be stored when not in operation.

Sketch of proposed vending location

Provide sketch of proposed vending location showing all relevant dimensions, street name, curb, proposed location of cart and all street furnishings – utility pole, garbage bin, fire hydrant, tree, etc.

A 2.50 metre pedestrian clearance must be maintained and shown in the proposal

All measurements must be in metric.

Photographs of proposed location

Provide current photographs of the proposed vending location (showing at least three angles – front and two sides)

Photograph of cart
Provide a photograph of the cart

Business Improvement Area (BIA)

If the proposed vending location is in a Business Improvement Area (BIA), obtain an approval letter from the BIA.<

Application fee

The permit cost of $365.71 plus one of the two fees depending on where you would like to operate:

  • Minor Arterial Roads Permit: $3134.28
  • Major Arterial Roads permit: $5762.33

*All fees include HST

Insurance

Applicants must provide proof of $2,000,000 in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance.

A form certificate will be provided at time of application for your insurance provider to complete.

Completed forms that are signed and stamped by the insurer can be returned to our office by fax or email directly from the insurer.

Your licence for the cart will expire annually on the anniversary of the date that the licence was first issued.

The renewal fee is $287.02

A renewal notice, identifying any documents required to renew the licence, will be mailed to the address on file.

Payments received after the licence expiry date are subject to late fees in addition to the annual licence fee.

If you fail to renew your licence within 90 days of the specified renewal date, your licence will be cancelled and you will have to reapply.