St. Catharines has freed the food trucks, well 2 of them.

City council has voted unanimously to allow more food trucks downtown, adding 2 new licenses.  City staff will also look into handing out roaming permits to give trucks the freedom to park in a couple different spots.

Adam Hynam-Smith, part of the duo behind the gourmet El Gastronomo Vagabundo food truck hopes to be set up in the Garden City by the end of the week.

He insists his truck isn't a threat to existing eateries in the core & that many restaurateurs support what he's doing.

Hynam-Smith tells 610 CKTB's Tim Denis food trucks create foot traffic to feed downtown businesses.  The city's bylaw also says food trucks can't park closer than 40m to a bricks & mortar restaurant.

The rules aren't meant to add more street meat carts or chip wagons either.  Hynam-Smith says they have to serve "gourmet" food, though he didn't elaborate.