Food truck owners struggle to get answers on whether they can operate during pandemic

At this time of the year, Ada Mok would usually be busy serving dumplings out of her food truck, FeasTO, to lineups of people in downtown Toronto or at one of the numerous events and festivals in the city.

Instead, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced her to spend a lot more time in her commercial kitchen preparing and packing frozen dumplings for customers. She's offering pick-up at the kitchen or free delivery while her truck remains parked.

"We're two months into our seven-month season and we haven't really been able to run our business as we usually would do," she said.

Food-truck operators and event organizers say the industry has been forgotten during the pandemic, and because they're receiving mixed messages on whether they can operate, most of them aren't.

It's Mok's understanding she can't operate because food trucks aren't explicitly listed under the food category on the province's list of essential businesses.

"I think what has happened is maybe we just weren't considered in the conversation," she said.

"As opposed to them saying, 'No food trucks,' they just didn't think of food trucks, because they don't think about us often."

City hasn't said if food trucks can operate

The lack of clarity surrounding whether food trucks can operate during the pandemic has resulted in "a handful" of trucks running, according to Jason Bellissimo, who organizes food-truck events in the GTA.

"It's somewhat of a gray area," he said.

Bellisimo says some in the industry have received feedback from the province that food trucks are included in the essential businesses list, similar to restaurants, but he says that's not the same message coming from the City of Toronto.

The city couldn't confirm to CBC Toronto whether food trucks are allowed to operate, saying it's currently reviewing the provincial order when it comes to food and ice cream trucks.

A spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade said in an email that food truck operators should review the list of essential businesses and determine if they fit into any of the categories.

WATCH: CBC Toronto's Angelina King on the plight of food trucks during the COVID-19 pandemic in the GTA

Ice cream truck operator Michael Mavrogiannis, who typically holds a permit that allows him to operate his vehicle like a food truck, says he hasn't been able to get a clear answer.

"I've got so many answers that you could, you can't, you could, you can't," he said. "The city hasn't got back to us to tell us if we could or not."

But, even if he got the clarity he's looking for, he wouldn't be able to operate right now because he wasn't able to get his permit.

Mavrogiannis buys his seasonal permit in April, but much of the city, including the licensing and standards department, closed in March. His wife runs a hot dog cart downtown, which is also not operating.

"We can hopefully wait it out, but I don't know how much longer we can wait it out," he said.

Bellissimo says food trucks should be allowed to operate during the pandemic, similar to the way restaurants are able to offer curbside pickup.

"There's an argument to be made that [food trucks] are potentially safer because you're outdoors, call-ahead orders could be organized … and it's a lot easier to keep a distance," he said.

Bellissimo organizes Food Truck'N Friday, a bi-weekly event that draws about 2,500 people to sample food from various trucks in Etobicoke. It's expanded to other areas in the GTA and Bellissimo says he had planned to host more than 80 food-truck events this season, all of which have been cancelled.

"It stings," he said.

Bellissimo has been trying to organize a sort of replacement for the events that would adhere to safety measures and physical distancing rules, but says he can't move ahead without clarity from the authorities.

Pushing to ease restrictions

When food trucks are operating and have a permit to park on the road, they must be at least 30 metres away from an operating restaurant, there can't be more than two trucks per block and they can only be open for five hours at a time.

Mok says she'd like the city to consider relaxing some of the rules during the pandemic since many restaurants are closed and the ones that are open can't yet offer dine-in service.

"I think there's no harm in easing the rules," Mok said. "I think we would provide a good service to the city."

Coun. John Filion, who sits on the city's licensing committee, says while he understands food truck operators are struggling, he wouldn't support relaxing the rules during the pandemic.

He says it could take business away from restaurants, which are "hanging on by a thread," he says.

"Many of them literally have their life savings involved in their restaurant and I can't see the city doing anything that would further jeopardize their survival," Filion said.

"I certainly wouldn't be in favour of that."

Mok says if and when she's allowed to operate this year, she hopes the city will consider discounting the cost of permits and licences, which cost her around $5,000 for the season.

"It'll only be used probably three to four months max, and that's me being pretty optimistic."