Beleaguered cab industry urging councillors to rethink issuance of taxi plates
Council approved issuance of 250 taxi plates while 18-month Uber pilot program underway

Mississauga.com
June 9, 2017
Rachael Williams

Taxi industry representatives are contesting council’s decision to issue 250 additional taxi plates, a move they say will flood an already overcrowded market.

Council passed a resolution on April 12 recommending the city issue 250 temporary taxi plates to drivers who were on the city’s priority waiting list. Introduced by Coun. Carolyn Parrish, the resolution was an attempt to level the playing field for taxicab drivers faced with increasing competition from UberX drivers.

“Since we (council) seem willing to release 5,000 Uber drivers onto our streets, I thought giving those guys (taxi drivers) plates for the term of the pilot would be a reasonable thing to do,” said Parrish, referencing council's approval of an 18-month Uber pilot program that she vehemently opposed. 

But taxicab representatives who attended the June 7 Special Public Vehicle Advisory Committee (PVAC) meeting said an additional 250 plates would further erode what little income they earn.

“This proposal does not even the playing field with ridesharing. Rather, it creates more instability, chaos, and insecurity for families dependent on the taxi industry,” noted Alexander Mantadis, whose mother is dependent on the pension income provided by taxi plates.

Taxi representatives also accused councillors of failing to consult with the industry before approving the issuance of 250 plates.

When staff did send out a letter on May 15 — after the motion had been approved — to drivers who had been on the priority waiting list for a plate, 98 per cent replied they were in favour of the move.

“I was excited about [the] 250 plates [the] city is issuing in Mississauga since I am on [the] priority list from [the] last seventeen years,” wrote Kamaljit Singh in a letter that was attached as correspondence to the Special PVAC meeting agenda.

Singh claims those who are against the move are multiple plate owners looking to protect their monopoly in the taxi business.

Typically, the multiple plate owners will lease out their plates to drivers and collect a chunk of the revenue. Parrish’s motion essentially cuts out the middle man, allowing more drivers to operate without having to remit a portion of their earnings to a broker.

“The multi-plate holders are upset because they're having trouble finding drivers who will rent their plates, pay their fee, and try to scrape out a living,” wrote Parrish in an email.

Taking issue with the insinuation, Pellier, who refused to say how many plates he owns, claimed Parrish was out of touch and that adding an extra 250 drivers would be “nothing short of colossal for members of the taxi industry.”

Updated figures from the city confirm there are 168 names on the priority waiting list. Parrish agreed to decrease the amount of plates issued to 168, down from the original 250. None have been approved, to date. 

Before any changes can be made to the original motion, council has to approve reopening the debate. The next council meeting is scheduled for June 21.