By Jack Brittle, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Burlington city council has approved a review of the Burlington Waterfront Festival after councillors debated whether the event was essentially a food truck festival — but removed a clause that could have delayed approval of its return to Spencer Smith Park in 2027.
At its Sept. 29 meeting, council revisited a motion memorandum carried six to one at the Sept. 14 Committee of the Whole meeting, with Ward 3 Councillor Rory Nisan opposed.
The debate centred on concerns raised by the Burlington Downtown Business Association (BDBA) about the festival’s impact on downtown businesses and whether it delivered the attractions organizers had promised.
READ MORE: Burlington Waterfront Festival Faces Review Over Food Truck Concerns
Nisan was first to speak to the motion and said that he wanted to “clear up some inaccuracies and misinformation coming out of committee.”
“I did some follow-up with the organizers to get a better idea of what happened because what we heard at committee did not line up with what I saw at the festival,” Nisan said.
Nisan said that a photo of a Ferris wheel that the BDBA featured in its presentation to council was “the result of a user on TikTok, misusing a photo that went viral,” and that it had “nothing to do with the organizers.”
Nisan also said that the BDBA inaccurately reported the number of food trucks at the festival as 22 to 27, when the number was actually 14.
“They had numerous food trailers and food tents, like Ontario Corn Roasters, Tropic Love, and ICEE Canada,” Nisan said. “They counted those as food trucks.”
Nisan said that an informal count also found that the Lakeshore Music and Arts Festival (LMAF) actually had more food trucks than Waterfront, with 37 food and drink vendors. The BDBA had claimed that LMAF had fewer food trucks than the Waterfront Festival.
READ MORE: Burlington’s New Waterfront Festival Debuts As City Rethinks Events Strategy
“The BDBA made an implication that there wasn’t music or not a lot, but there was,” Nisan continued. “I heard it myself. And I’ve seen pictures in the evening where the park was pretty full actually.”
Nisan said that although he couldn’t comment on the BDBA’s claims that downtown restaurants lost significant business because of the festival, it was “a rough weekend for everybody.”
“There was the fire smog day on the Friday,” Nisan said. “On Saturday, the park had to be evacuated due to a tornado warning, and Sunday was the FIFA [World Cup] final.”
Nisan also disputed the BDBA’s claim that the festival organizers did not make any financial contribution to St. Joseph Brant Hospital as they had promised.
The hospital confirmed in a letter to Nisan that Roadshow Events raised $10,405 for the Joseph Brant Hospital Foundation.
“I did not support it, but we chose to cancel the food truck festival down at the park, and eventually it left Burlington for Oakville,” Nisan said. “Obviously, the Sound of Music…we all know what happened there. So I don’t think we need to lose another festival down at the waterfront, and that’s what this motion is.”
Nisan said that festivals are “essential to quality of life in our community and drive tourism dollars to sustain our local businesses.”
Ward 1 Councillor Kelvin Galbraith said that although he was “skeptical” about supporting the motion, he believed separating the event for an individual review was still the right thing to do.
Ward 2 Councillor Lisa Kearns, who authored the motion memorandum, reiterated her support of a separate review.
“In the last eight years, I’ve shouldered 66% of all of the city’s festivals and events in Ward 2,” Kearns said. “I have never brought opposition to a festival and event. In fact, I know how important they are to the community. This is the only one that sits outside the realm of making sure that everyone’s interests are balanced and managed, and we did try. It didn’t work.”
Kearns said that it is important for council to stand by its 2023 decision to suspend the Burlington Food Truck Festival because of its proximity to downtown businesses.
“I appreciate the follow-up, but there is more than enough here for me to be very certain in this position that this is just not working,” Kearns said. “It doesn’t reflect what the community is asking for, and it’s hurting our local brick-and-mortar businesses.”
Kearns also said that those businesses regularly contribute to charitable causes across the city all year round and that she doesn’t consider Roadshow Events’ contribution “above and beyond.”
“It’s just not the right fit and has a welcome place in any other park across our entire city,” Kearns said. “I hope that they work closely with our festivals and events team to find success in those locations.”
Nisan suggested that any councillor who simply wanted more information about the event ask staff for a referral.
“The second-to-last paragraph here, which we’re agreeing to now, is declaring it to be a food truck event, and therefore subject to the 2023 decision of council,” Nisan said. “That is bad. That is not just seeking more information.”
Nisan also expressed concern that if the approval process takes too long, the festival will not have adequate time to prepare, even if it is given the go-ahead by the city.
“It’s a risk that we might be going down a road to losing this festival,” Nisan said.
A motion was brought forward by Galbraith to remove the line in question.
Kearns said that she still considers the festival a “food truck event,” and essentially the same event as the Burlington Food Truck Festival, due to its ties to Roadshow Events.
“My concern here is that this is the only event that has been flagged as a major concern,” Kearns said. “They [Roadshow] just promised more vendors and more amenities. A Ferris wheel, the midway, and live local music, which did not happen. This is a very grave concern about the way that we are treating our local businesses, and if anyone here is saying that they are supporting their local businesses, this line in specific will deem you to be of the opposite position.”
Ward 4 Councillor Shawna Stolte said that council should not decide anything before it has “all the information.”
“We’re getting a lot of ‘He said, she said,’” Stolte said. “The next council needs a staff report.”
Nisan disputed the claim that the Waterfront Festival is the same event as the Food Truck Festival.
“I went to the Food Truck Festival,” Nisan said. “It was a bunch of food trucks in a circle, and the music was quite tertiary. This one had 14 food trucks and several other food vendors, getting up to that 22 number. It had live music throughout and 40-plus [artisan] vendors as well. So it’s not the same.”
Nisan again said that the presence of a Ferris wheel was “total misinformation” and attributed the absence of a midway to ballooning insurance costs. Nisan said that although the BDBA does “incredible work,” they do not represent the downtown as a whole.
Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman said that the paragraph in question doesn’t help council get the data they need but instead just “pats the BDBA on the back.”
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward also supported removing the paragraph and said that a declaration prior to getting a report is “premature.”
Kearns said that her “deep knowledge” of the event indicated it was more of a food truck event.
“I saw the advertisements that were advertising food trucks,” Kearns said. “They were not advertising bands. This was disproportionate, and it really was very similar to the footprint, offerings, etc., of the Food Truck Festival, which we did a ton of work on, and we declared that as something that is welcome everywhere except for within the delineated BIAs.”
Kearns said that the event still provides “uncertainty and unease” for the local brick-and-mortar businesses.
Curt Benson, the city’s chief administrative officer, confirmed that a decision in December would still give the organizers enough time to prepare for the festival if it received approval.
The amendment to remove the paragraph stating, “That no approval or renewal of the Burlington Waterfront Festival at Spencer Smith Park for 2027 be finalized until the review is complete and Council has considered the staff report,” passed six to one, with only Kearns voting against.
Benson said that because of the interest that council has in the evaluation of the festival, staff will highlight it in greater detail in their holistic review of city events.
Kearns said that Roadshow Events is a welcome operator in the city but not in a designated BIA.
“When it comes to an excess of one offering outside of the balance of the others, that’s when these types of festivals become a little bit more of a challenge,” Kearns said. “That is what the basis of this request is for. It’s about bringing things that are in balance into the community and keeping out things that are out of balance.”
Nisan said that he had warned moving the Food Truck Festival to Burloak Waterfront Park would lead to the event leaving the city and said he was worried the Waterfront Festival would meet a similar fate.
“I love having festivals all over the city,” Nisan said. “We limit the number at Spencer Smith Park for the grass, so there’s already natural limits on there. Why are we so hyper-focused on one provider who’s working with us to make it better? I do hope that we don’t try to move this festival again and lose another one.”
Council voted on each clause of the amended motion individually. Each was approved six to one, with Nisan opposed.
