Food trucks are coming to Delta streets and parks under a pilot program passed by city council this week.

On Monday (July 22), council unanimously endorsed a mobile food and beverage vendor policy — a first for the city — while giving first reading to related amendments of several city bylaws.

With the policy in place, the city is now accepting business license applications from food truck owners who want to take part in a three-month pilot program allowing food trucks in numerous designated locations across Delta.

A staff report to council notes that while mobile food and beverage vendors have been allowed to operate in Delta,mostly on private property or on public property for special events, the city does not have a comprehensive program that would permit mobile food and beverage sales for immediate consumption on Delta's streets and parks year-round.

The move builds on a Metro Vancouver pilot program allowing food trucks at Centennial Beach in Tsawwassen June 1 to Oct. 14 and brings Delta in line with other cities in the region, including ÐÔÊӽ紫ý, Richmond, New Westminster, Burnaby, Vancouver and Abbotsford.

Speaking at Monday's council meeting, Coun. Dylan Kruger said it was exciting to see the city "moving boldly into the 21st century" by "legalizing" food trucks.

"It's crazy. It's 2024 and food trucks are not legal on public streets and locations throughout our city," Kruger said. "We've got a number of great local companies that offer food trucks with a variety of products that, up until today, could not legally sell those products on Delta streets."

Kruger called the policy a progressive move that compliments a number of other decisions by council other the last few years, namely the adoption of a policy in June in select locations (also a first for the city), the passing of a bylaw in 2023 allowing , and the creation of various pop-up parks across the city each summer.

"All of these have been super successful," Kruger said. "It's legalizing fun in our city. It's creating vibrant spaces where people want to be, and the feedback has been very positive. I'm really looking forward to more initiatives like this."

The pilot program will run through Oct. 14, with 32 locations approved across the city. Vendors' hours will be limited to the hours of the park where they are doing business, or from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday to Saturday if operating on a city street.

No street locations are approved in North Delta, but a number of the community's parks are on the list: Annieville Lions, Chalmers, Delview, John Oliver, McKitrick, Mackie, Sunbury, Sunstone and North Delta Community Park.

Locations will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and Delta's city manager will have the authority to approve new locations or remove existing ones based on feedback from residents, local businesses and mobile vendors.

Vendors will need to be fully licensed and insured, and have all necessary regulatory approvals, such as from Delta Fire, Fraser Health and WorkSafeBC.

A proposed $375 permit application fee will not apply during the pilot stage of the program.

The city will be collecting feedback throughout the program, and staff will report back on the pilot and present the enabling bylaws for additional readings later this fall.