Callander vendors get a deal at the Bill Barber Arena
Callander has revised its outdoor vendor by-law to remove vendor fees for the Bill Barber Arena. The by-law is relatively new, coming into effect last May. The document is based on the 2015 outdoor vendor by-law. Since then, municipal staff have been paying attention to how people are responding to the rules, and decided to make some minor modifications, with council’s approval.
Council granted that approval, so the red pens came out, and the edits began. If a farmer’s market or craft sale is taking place the Bill Barber rink – behind the Callander Community Centre, at 1984 Swale Street – there will no longer be an additional cost to purchase a vendor licence.
Indeed, the cost will now be included in the regular facility rental price. Renting the Bill Barber rink – when there is no ice – costs $300 per day.
See: Callander reveals 2024 rental fees
Municipal staff also added a definition of ‘private renter’ to the by-law – “any person, group, organization, committee, association, service club paying a rental rate and / or fee for services, programs, and facilities available at any Callander Municipal Facility.”
There you have it. And rest assured, the municipality still forbids hawkers and peddlers from roaming the municipality. That section remains strong in Section 9 of the by-law.
As for the other vendors, if you’re looking for a sidewalk patio licence or a sidewalk sales licence, there is no charge for that. For a farmer’s market licence on commercial property, you’re looking at $75 per day.
Breaking out the food cart? Plan for $10 a day, or really put that cart to work with a $50 monthly licence. Too big for a cart? You can buy a daily food truck licence for $50 or dole out $500 for the month.
If you care to vend your wares at a municipal event, best save $30. Unless you are a non-profit or community group, then the licence fee is waived.
However, be warned future vendor, just because some licence fees are free, you are still required to have a permit to operate. If you can’t produce that paper, you could be fined $150. Operating with a revoked or suspended licence? That fine just rose to $300.
To apply for a licence, contact the municipal office. For the full Outdoor Vendor by-law, visit the municipality’s website.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
David Briggs, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, BayToday.ca
