Is Uber complying with bylaws? Council wants to know
CityNews.ca
Nov. 3, 2015
Uber is once again front-and-centre as Toronto council is set to review a motion on whether the ride-sharing service is complying with city bylaws.
Councillors will begin their monthly meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Watch it on CityNews.ca and 680NEWS.com.
There are 138 items on the agenda, including Uber, more 3D signs for the city, the police budget, and protecting a 250-year-old Red Oak. Click here to read it.
Coun. Janet Davis’ motion seeks to “obtain information regarding the enforcement and prosecution of bylaw infractions related to the continued operation of Uber and UberX.”
At the last council meeting, councillors voted in favour of Mayor John Tory’s motion to begin the process of regulating Uber by creating new bylaws.
The motion called 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.
Last month, council approved amendments to the municipal code to ensure that Uber is covered by the existing bylaw and considered taxi-brokers, meaning the company used licensed taxis.
The city notified Uber it needs to submit an application to become a licensed taxi-broker, thus complying with the bylaw. However, the city said so far, Uber has not done so.
“To date, Uber has not secured a taxi-broker licence. UberX continues to operate using privately-owned, unlicensed vehicles with inadequate insurance and untrained drivers. Uber and UberX continue to flout the law and operate illegally in the City of Toronto,” the motion reads.
There have been concerns the ride-sharing service is skirting local bylaws by using a mobile app to charge riders.
The UberX service connects private citizens, using their own vehicles, with prospective passengers looking for a ride. Other Uber services connect passengers with licensed cab drivers.
UberX, which has regular drivers transporting people in their private cars, doesn’t have commercial licenses and therefore lack the regulation and oversight of traditional taxi companies. Taxi companies have argued that this puts passenger safety in jeopardy while simultaneously driving traditional cabbies out of business.
3D selfie signs for ‘The 6′
Coun. Norm Kelly will be presenting a motion to create three new 3D landmark signs similar to the existing Toronto sign to be placed in different parts of the city.
Kelly’s motion, backed by Coun. Justin J. Di Ciano, is suggesting signs be created for The 6, T.O. and T.Dot.
In a direct message to 680 NEWS on Twitter, Kelly said he would like to see ‘The 6′ at Yonge-Dundas Square, ‘T.O.’ in the entertainment district, and ‘T.Dot’ at Harbourfont.
The motion says the Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square has proven so popular, it has “become an effective branding tool for the city.”
The colourful Toronto sign was a hit during the Toronto 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, with thousands of people taking seflies with it.
Kelly says such Toronto nicknames will “reinforce the modern, ‘cool’ Toronto brand.”
The councillor is looking for corporate sponsors to help with the cost.
Toronto police budget
Council is considering increasing the police budget. The $17.8-million increase will be used for officers’ salaries.
Congestion
The day before council was set to discuss Toronto’s terrible traffic, yet another study recommended tolls to deal with gridlock. The city is considering expanding existing traffic monitoring programs as well as using “big data” to help with traffic flow.
Protection for a 250-year-old Red Oak
The tree, thought to be the largest and oldest Red Oak in Toronto, has found an unlikely ally in Coun. Giorgio Mammoliti. Mammoliti is suggesting the city buy or expropriate the house where the tree is planted, and build a parkette on the land.
