Taxi bylaw shelved

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

Notwithstanding the recommendation to pass the newly amended taxi bylaw, local officials sanctioned a rare opportunity allowing those directly affected to address the issue, resulting in strong resistance towards the legislation and the bylaw to be tabled until April.
Bylaw 15-27, often referred to as the Taxi Bylaw, underwent review and revision, after administration was directed to place the regulation under a microscope in the fall of 2015.
Following consultations, meetings, and research, administration said the drafted bylaw was amended on several occasions by the Policy Review Board, to ensure the safety of Strathmore’s residents when using transportation services, and addressing vital needs in the community. Furthermore, administration met with local taxi companies and local law enforcement to review the bylaw on Jan. 15.
“In preparing this bylaw administration considered it imperative that the rules and regulations in place within this bylaw ensures that those using transportation services within Strathmore are doing so in a safe and sound environment,” said Jennifer Sawatzky, municipal clerk for the town of Strathmore. “Comments and concerns from that [January] meeting were also discussed with the Policy Review Committee and changes were made in response to solve those concerns that were brought forward.”
Under the revisions, the bylaw creates a new position of Chief License Inspector to ensure brokers, chauffeurs, and vehicles are meeting the newly-proposed standards. The bylaw also clarifies brokers and chauffeurs responsibilities and standards for vehicles. This includes vehicle inspections every six months, a monthly submission of a list of all chauffeurs employed by the company, and the penalties involved for failing to comply with the bylaw.
Most controversial, however, were the topics of decaling and wheelchair accessibility, where the bylaw states all vehicles much be decaled to advertise the company and permanently fix the taxi number onto the vehicles, and for every eight vehicles, one must be wheelchair accessible.
Martin De Peuter, owner of Strathmore Taxi, Economy Taxi Strathmore and Economy taxi Chestermere, said he wasn’t given ample opportunity to voice his concerns, and if forced to decal his company vehicles would not be able to carry out his contracts due to restrictions of Calgary bylaws that state advertised taxi companies from outside Calgary cannot operate in the city. Yet mostly De Peuter appeared frustrated with the bylaw’s lack in addressing the operation of out-of-town taxi companies operating in Strathmore, showing a paucity of support for local companies.
“There is no way you can police our town taxis, you don’t have the manpower,” De Peuter addressed council. “You’re not protecting your taxi companies why should your taxi company protect you? If you’re not going to stop the out-of-town taxis from doing business here, I will move it to Chestermere and operate here, because you guys are saying it’s OK. You have done so for seven years. You’ve had seven years to clean it up and nobody has, and now you want the taxis to abide by your rules? I think council better first look at itself.”
During the March 2 council meeting, De Peuter stated he had contracts with Alberta Health Services, Social Services, Workers’ Compensation, and Victims Services. While transporting goods, such as blood and documentation and not passengers, to Calgary prevents De Peuter from advertising his company’s information on his vehicles, he suggested magnets would be a viable alternative. However, administration assured town the reason for permanent decaling is to also aid in the inspection process and validation of the vehicle.
While he added that a wheelchair accessible vehicle will be made part of his 14-car fleet as early as this week, he remained adamant that the bylaw does not create an even playing field for all taxi companies – a statement Councillor Bob Sobol disagreed with.
“It is a level playing field, and I think your concern is in regards to the eight vehicles, [but] the fact of the matter is any organization, any taxi company by this law, that has eight vehicles or more must have one that’s wheelchair accessible so it’s fair for any group that’s over eight,” said Councillor Bob Sobol.
“Certainly the license inspector is a new position and is brought in specifically in this bylaw to do many of the things that we’re discussing here. I can guarantee you that person will be looking at all taxi companies on the same playing field. This is primarily about the safety of our personnel… one of the only issues in the Municipal Government Act that allows councils to be involved in a private business.
“It’s for a good reason because it involves the safety of our citizens. That’s what the purpose of this is, and that’s the only purpose of this.”
Council also discussed the viability of the wheelchair accessible vehicle, the costs involved, and possible financial return, as well as the need for the service in Strathmore. Councillor Denise Peterson, who represents the town on the Senior’s Advisory Committee and on the Wheatland Lodge board, said 73 people at the lodge require walkers, and praised De Peuter for his efforts in providing such a vehicle and his services to the community.
Yet Strathmore Shuttle owner and operator Brenda Jan agreed with the changes in the bylaw, stating that inspections should be maintained and decals placed onto the vehicles when providing such a service.
However, De Peuter remained steadfast that the bylaw needs more consideration.
“It’s not a level playing field,” said De Peuter. “Nobody is checking into insurances. Every cab company has to have workers compensation on their drivers. Is this council checking on their insurance to make sure those drivers are protected. It wasn’t brought up in the meeting and it hasn’t been brought up tonight until now. There’s so many things in the taxi business that have to be covered. Either you go all the way in, like the City of Calgary, or leave it.”
After being asked by Mayor Ell whether it is the municipality’s responsibility to verify workers’ compensation, Sawatzky answered that to the best of her knowledge it wasn’t, but is looking into the inquiry further.
Councillor Brad Walls had excused himself from the discussions as Jan is his mother-in-law, and council voted to pass the second reading with Councillor Peterson opposed, before adjourning the issue to come back before council on April 6. Councillor Rocky Blokland voted in opposition.