Item - 2021.GL26.11
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on November 9, 2021 with amendments.
- This item was considered by the General Government and Licensing Committee on October 20, 2021 and adopted without amendment. It will be considered by City Council on November 9, 2021.
- See also 2021.MM36.14
GL26.11 - Back-to-School - Vehicle-for-Hire Driver Training
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on November 9, 10 and 12, 2021, adopted the following:
1. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to immediately pause the issuance of new vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company driver's licences until such time as a driver training accreditation program is established, and applicants have demonstrated completion of a driver training course to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards as per By-law 1517-2019.
2. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to include the following as part of the scheduled report back to the November 30, 2021 meeting of the General Government and Licensing Committee on the status of an accreditation program and any driver training courses required to licence new vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company drivers, including:
a. a report with confidential attachment, if needed, on any legal issues that may exist with respect to the delayed implementation of the driver training program;
b. the number of drivers who have been issued a licence since June 1, 2020;
c. a plan for implementing the driver training program for current and new licensees; and
d. changes to service levels, including number of passenger trips, drivers available, and any relevant information pertaining to licensing, reported by Vehicles-for-Hire and Private Transportation companies due to the pandemic between March 2020 to present.
3. City Council direct the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to grant Toronto Taxi Licence holders, drivers and/or operators who have continued service throughout the pandemic access to the Accessibility Fund, or in the case of incomplete forms, an extended appeal process with the possibility of retroactive pay.
Background Information (Committee)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/bgrd/backgroundfile-171712.pdf
Communications (Committee)
(October 19, 2021) Letter from Thorben Wieditz on behalf of the RideFair Toronto Coalition (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137645.pdf
(October 19, 2021) Letter from Keagan Gartz, Executive Director, Cycle Toronto (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137665.pdf
(October 19, 2021) Letter from Dylan Reid, on behalf of Walk Toronto (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137646.pdf
(October 19, 2021) E-mail from Kristine Hubbard, Beck Taxi (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137666.pdf
(October 20, 2021) E-mail from Kristine Hubbard, Beck Taxi (GL.New)
Communications (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/cc/comm/communicationfile-139777.pdf
Motions (City Council)
That:
1. City Council amend General Government and Licensing Committee Recommendation 1 by deleting the words "consider pausing" and insert the words "immediately pause" so that it now reads as follows:
1. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to consider pausing immediately pause the issuance of new vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company driver's licences until such time as a driver training accreditation program is established, and applicants have demonstrated completion of a driver training course to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards as per By-law 1517-2019.
Vote (Amend Item) Nov-10-2021 6:21 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GL26.11 - Wong-Tam - motion 1a |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 20 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Brad Bradford, Shelley Carroll, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Michael Ford, Mark Grimes, Mike Layton, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Michael Thompson, John Tory, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 3 | Members that voted No are Mike Colle, Stephen Holyday, Denzil Minnan-Wong |
| Total members that were Absent: 3 | Members that were absent are Ana Bailão, Cynthia Lai, Nick Mantas |
Revised Motion
That:
1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to grant Toronto Taxi License holders, drivers and / or operators who have continued service throughout the pandemic access to the Accessibility Fund, or in the case of incomplete forms, an extended appeal process with the possibility of retroactive pay.
Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Nov-10-2021 6:23 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GL26.11 - Wong-Tam - motion 1b |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 22 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Brad Bradford, Shelley Carroll, Mike Colle, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Michael Ford, Mark Grimes, Mike Layton, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Michael Thompson, John Tory, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 1 | Members that voted No are Stephen Holyday |
| Total members that were Absent: 3 | Members that were absent are Ana Bailão, Cynthia Lai, Nick Mantas |
Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Nov-10-2021 6:24 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - GL26.11 - Adopt the Item as amended |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 21 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Brad Bradford, Shelley Carroll, Mike Colle, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Michael Ford, Mark Grimes, Mike Layton, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Jaye Robinson, Michael Thompson, John Tory, Kristyn Wong-Tam |
| Total members that voted No: 2 | Members that voted No are Stephen Holyday, Denzil Minnan-Wong |
| Total members that were Absent: 3 | Members that were absent are Ana Bailão, Cynthia Lai, Nick Mantas |
Councillor Ainslie, on a Point of Order, stated his understanding that the item was originally a Notice of Motion that was sent to Committee and that the recommendations before Council were from the Committee and that the Deputy Mayor had made it seem that the recommendations were not discussed at the Committee.
Councillor Fletcher, on a Point of Order, stated that he understood it was a Members Motion, however she felt that the Deputy Mayor insinuated that there was something wrong with that and that many Members' Motions are discussed at Committee.
Declared Interests (City Council)
Councillor Nick Mantas - as his family member is an owner of a taxi plate.
Written Declaration: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/declared-interest-file.do?id=10296
GL26.11 - Back-to-School - Vehicle-for-Hire Driver Training
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Wards:
- All
Committee Recommendations
The General Government and Licensing Committee recommends that:
1. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to consider pausing the issuance of new vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company driver's licences until such time as a driver training accreditation program is established, and applicants have demonstrated completion of a driver training course to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards as per By-law 1517-2019.
2. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to include the following as part of the scheduled report back to the November 30, 2021 meeting of the General Government and Licensing Committee on the status of an accreditation program and any driver training courses required to licence new vehicle-for-hire and private transportation company drivers, including:
a. a report with confidential attachment, if needed, on any legal issues that may exist with respect to the delayed implementation of the driver training program;
b. the number of drivers who have been issued a licence since June 1, 2020;
c. a plan for implementing the driver training program for current and new licensees; and
d. changes to service levels, including number of passenger trips, drivers available, and any relevant information pertaining to licensing, reported by Vehicles-for-Hire and Private Transportation companies due to the pandemic between March 2020 to present.
Origin
Summary
City Council on October 1 and 4, 2021, referred Motion MM36.14 to the General Government and Licensing Committee.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/bgrd/backgroundfile-171712.pdf
Communications
(October 19, 2021) Letter from Thorben Wieditz on behalf of the RideFair Toronto Coalition (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137645.pdf
(October 19, 2021) Letter from Keagan Gartz, Executive Director, Cycle Toronto (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137665.pdf
(October 19, 2021) Letter from Dylan Reid, on behalf of Walk Toronto (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137646.pdf
(October 19, 2021) E-mail from Kristine Hubbard, Beck Taxi (GL.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2021/gl/comm/communicationfile-137666.pdf
(October 20, 2021) E-mail from Kristine Hubbard, Beck Taxi (GL.New)
Speakers
Janna Erichsen, Centennial College
Sam Moini
Earla Phillips, Rideshare
Gurjeet Dhillon, Toronto 1 Taxi
Kurt Halfyard, Ride-Hail
Albert Koehl, Toronto Community Bikeways Coalition
Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam
Motions
That the General Government and Licensing Committee refer Item GL26.11 to the Executive Director Municipal Licensing and Standards for inclusion in the scheduled report back to the November 30, 2021 meeting of the General Government and Licensing Committee.
Vote (Adopt Item) Oct-20-2021
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - Adopt the balance of Item GL26.11 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 5 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie (Chair), John Filion, Stephen Holyday, Josh Matlow, Frances Nunziata |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 1 | Members that were absent are Nick Mantas |
Vote (Adopt Item) Oct-20-2021
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - Adopt GL26.11 Recommendation 1 |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 4 | Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie (Chair), John Filion, Josh Matlow, Frances Nunziata |
| Total members that voted No: 1 | Members that voted No are Stephen Holyday |
| Total members that were Absent: 1 | Members that were absent are Nick Mantas |
Councillor Holyday, on a Point of Order, stated that he would like advice from the Clerk as to whether the recommendations in GL26.11, are in order.
Councillor Holyday, on a Point of Order, advised the Chair that it may be important to Councillor Mantas, who had recused himself from the debate, to ensure that the record shows he had been recorded as absent for the vote and to ensure that all votes on the item should be recorded votes.
Declared Interests
Councillor Nick Mantas - in that one of his family members has a taxi licence.
Written Declaration: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/declared-interest-file.do?id=10256