Item - 2022.GL32.29

The General Government and Licensing Committee recommend that:  

1. City Council amend Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 546, Licensing of Vehicles-for-Hire, to permit a vehicle used as an accessible taxicab to be up to ten model years old and stipulating that this provision is in effect until December 31, 2025 and shall be repealed on January 1, 2026.

As required by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the City has a multi-year accessibility plan which includes ensuring the availability of on-demand accessible vehicle-for-hire service for all individuals. Consistent with this, Chapter 546, Licensing of Vehicles-for-Hire, of the Toronto Municipal Code established Toronto Taxicab Licences, which are issued to taxicab owners operating a wheelchair-accessible taxicab.

In accordance with Chapter 546, all Private Transportation Company vehicles and taxicabs, including Toronto Taxicab Licences', are not permitted to operate if they are more than seven model years old. In 2020, to support taxicab owners impacted by COVID-19, City Council temporarily extended this vehicle age limit to nine years for all taxicabs, expiring at the end of 2022. Of the 600 licensed wheelchair-accessible taxicabs currently operating in Toronto, 370 wheelchair-accessible taxicabs, representing 62 percent of the wheelchair-accessible taxicab fleet in Toronto will reach their vehicle age limit at the end of 2022 and must be replaced.

Staff have heard concerns from the taxicab industry and engaged with Toronto Transit Commission Wheel-Trans and accessible vehicle converters in the GTA about the current market availability of wheelchair-accessible vehicles to replace the expiring licensed wheelchair-accessible taxicabs. Due to on-going supply chain issues, which have affected the motor vehicle industry, it is anticipated that there will be an insufficient number of vans that can be converted to be wheelchair-accessible in Toronto and surrounding areas within the timeframe necessary to comply with the existing requirements of Chapter 546. This may prevent wheelchair-accessible taxicab owners from being able to replace their vehicles resulting in reduced availability of accessible vehicles for the Toronto Transit Commission Wheel-Trans' contracted services and affecteffect on-demand wheelchair-accessible transportation services in the city.

Staff recommend amending Chapter 546 such that, until December 31, 2025, a wheelchair-accessible taxicab may be up to 10 model years old. On January 1, 2026, this provision would be repealed such that wheelchair-accessible taxicabs will again be required to be no more than 7 model years old. This will provide the flexibility for taxicab operators to continue to provide accessible transportation services while providing time for supply chain issues to resolve and taxicab owners to source and purchase appropriate replacement vehicles. Taxicab owners will continue to be required to submit annual mechanical safety inspection certificates and comply with all safety and maintenance requirements in Chapter 546 to ensure that the wheelchair-accessible vehicles continue to be safe to operate as taxicabs.

This report was written in consultation with Toronto Transit Commission Wheel-Trans and the Accessibility Unit.