Toronto councillor takes Uber crackdown to police board

680news.com
Nov. 10, 2015

Toronto city councillor is keeping up the pressure on Uber, calling on police to do more to crackdown on the unregulated drivers.

Jim Karygiannis has written to Toronto Police Services Board chair Andy Pringle, hoping to get members of the taxi industry on the agenda for the next board meeting.

“I have heard from many parties including those in the taxi industry and the public that they would like the opportunity to come forward to discuss these enforcement issues, with the board directly,” he writes in the letter.

Karygiannis, a staunch advocate of the taxi industry, thinks there should be more enforcement on unlicensed taxicabs, saying there is “immense public interest” in the issue.

The councillor said its illegal to use your private vehicle to transport others for a fee and wants the police board to hear the taxi industry’s concerns.

“The public should have an opportunity to understand and discuss how the Toronto Police will move forward in upholding provincial legislation including the Highway Traffic Act and the Provincial Offences Act,” Karygiannis said in a release.

Karygiannis said he has written to police Chief Mark Saunders to try and set up a meeting between the police chief and the taxi industry, but so far he hasn’t heard back.

The councillor told the Toronto Sun that Saunders does not care about the taxi industry, adding a “double-standard” is being applied by police.

“If you don’t want to go after Uber, fine. But why are your cops nailing taxi drivers?,” Karygiannis told the Sun.

In September, city council voted in favour of Mayor John Tory’s motion to begin the process of regulating the ride-sharing service by creating new bylaws.

The motion calls for city staff to report back on new regulations this spring. Council also voted in favour of asking Uber to stop operating in Toronto until that framework is submitted.