Item - 2024.EX12.1
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Executive Committee on February 29, 2024 and was adopted without amendment.
EX12.1 - Vehicle-for-Hire and Private Transportation Industries Update Request
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Adopted
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Executive Committee:
1. Requested the City Manager include analysis and consideration of driver wages in the forthcoming report on options regarding vehicle-for-hire licensing, and that the City Manager report to the Executive Committee no later than fourth quarter of 2024.
Origin
Summary
At the December 13-15, 2023 meeting of City Council, the City Manager was requested to report to Executive Committee on the local impact of vehicle-for-hire and private transportation industries, taking into consideration congestion, climate targets, public transit and other factors.
Since that time, I’ve had conversations with drivers who have told me wages and working conditions are their top concerns. These drivers are often newcomers hoping to earn enough to pay their rent and put food on the table. Recently, an independent report validated their concerns by showing that ride-hailing company drivers earned a median wage of $6.37 per hour, far lower than Ontario’s minimum wage of $16.55 per hour. Ride-hailing companies disagree, citing a higher hourly wage, though there is concern that their accounting does not include “idle time” between rides. City Council would benefit from an analysis from City staff of the wages of these workers.
To allow City staff the necessary time to conduct their own analysis of the data related to the findings in the independent report, I am recommending the City Manager be granted additional time to prepare his report.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-243262.pdf
Communications
(February 26, 2024) E-mail from Esther Marietta (EX.Supp)
(February 26, 2024) E-mail from Viswajith Chandrika Viswanathan (EX.Supp)
(February 27, 2024) E-mail from Larry Radzio (EX.Supp)
(February 27, 2024) E-mail from Mecnun Sahin (EX.Supp)
(February 27, 2024) E-mail from Asghar Khan (EX.Supp)
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Alan J McDonald (EX.Supp)
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Nabil Khan (EX.Supp)
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Chandra Da Camara (EX.Supp)
(February 28, 2024) Submission from George Wedge and Earla Phillips, President and Vice President Rideshare Drivers Association of Ontario (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/comm/communicationfile-177743.pdf
(February 28, 2024) Letter from Charles Komanoff (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/comm/communicationfile-177761.pdf
(February 28, 2024) Letter from Michael Longfield, Executive Director, Cycle Toronto (EX.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/comm/communicationfile-177762.pdf
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Don Moore (EX.New)
(February 29, 2024) E-mail from Mike Hawkins (EX.New)
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Blase Jom George (EX.New)
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Rahul Nagpal (EX.New)
(February 29, 2024) Letter from Shelagh Pizey-Allen (EX.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/comm/communicationfile-177766.pdf
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Anshul Awasthi (EX.New)
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Arslan Tahir (EX.New)
(February 29, 2024) E-mail from Avtar Singh (EX.New)
(February 28, 2024) E-mail from Syed Uzair Naqeeb (EX.New)
(February 28, 2024) Letter from JJ Fueser, RideFairTO (EX.New)
(February 29, 2024) Submission from George Wedge (EX.New)
(February 29, 2024) Submission from Michael Reich (EX.New)
Speakers
Michael Reich, University of California, Berkeley
Behrouz Khamseh
Harrison Amit, HOVR
Gurjeet Dhillon, Toronto 1 Taxi Inc.
JJ Fueser, RideFair
Earla Phillips, Rideshare Drivers Association of Ontario
Shelagh Pizey-Allen
Muhammad Ejaz Butt, President, Toronto Limousine Drivers Association
George Wedge, President, Rideshare Drivers Association of Ontario
Thorben Wieditz, Ridefair Coalition
Charles Komanoff, Komanoff Energy Associates
Alex P