Toronto's board of health is asking the province to change its rules to allow a greater variety of food to be sold on city streets.

The board voted Monday to make the request to the Ministry of Health in hopes of widening the choice beyond the humble hotdog and sausage.

Hotdogs and sausages have for years been the only street food allowed in Toronto by provincial Health Ministry.
(CBC)

For years, hotdogs and sausages have been the only street meats available in Toronto because they are pre-cooked, which substantially lowers the risk of food-borne illnesses.

But board of health chairman John Filion said he wants Torontonians to embrace the kind of street meat enjoyed by people elsewhere in the world.

"It's fabulous for showcasing our ethnic diversity. It's fabulous for our nutrition to get away from hotdogs. I can't imagine anything worse for your health," said Filion, who has been fighting for years to get the province to change the rules.

However, he said the stipulation that meat must be pre-cooked is unlikely to change.

Ontario Health Minister George Smitherman has said in the past that he is open to re-examining the rules. A spokesman for his ministry told the Globe and Mail on Monday that rigorous health standards must be maintained.

Meanwhile, chefs and healthy food campaigners alike are lauding the board's request.

Guy Rubino — who along with his brother Michael runs Rain, a fine dining restaurant in the city — is an enthusiastic supporter of street food. The brothers have travelled the world, sampling a wide variety of food, and they say Toronto can do better.

"The frog legs porridge was really up there for me," said Guy Rubino.

"An oyster omelette was another great thing I had in Hong Kong. All kinds of satays through Thailand … whether they were shrimp or squid. In Italy, street vendors are selling these great sandwiches."

On the other hand, Rubino is withering in his criticism of Toronto's street fare.

"It's a joke. I'd rather see absolutely no street food at all, period.… The crap that's being served right now, you think that's bread they're serving? That's not real bread."

While the ball is now in the province's court, there's no word on when or whether the rules will change.