Airdrie taxi cab drivers may soon see some changes after City council gave first reading to a taxi cab amendment bylaw, March 18.
The bylaw has nine recommendations including a new requirement for drivers to prove they know their way around Airdrie, display City contact information prominently, and have their English proficiency assessed.
It also includes a $6.50 baggage surcharge for taxi vans and a requirement for Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) background check for drivers born outside of the country.
Taxi driver Mohamed Benini expressed concern about the requirement for a background check.
“There are a lot of people from other countries that operate taxis and there shouldn’t be a different set of rules (for them),” he said.
“I was a minor when I came here. I don’t think you have the legal right to check on what I did as a minor.”
Benini was also concerned, as a taxi cab owner, he was not informed that council would be discussing the subject during a council meeting.
“I would like to know ahead of time about something that will affect my business,” he said. “We really help the city and we are offering a very important service.”
Council approved its taxi bylaw on Feb. 1, 2010, and staff agreed to conduct annual reviews with drivers.
After the first review some changes were put in place in April, 2011. Staff met with taxi brokers once again on June 27, 2012.
At that time, the drivers themselves had only one recommendation: a luggage surcharge. As a result of the June meeting and a bylaw review, staff came up with the nine recommendations.
Several councillors raised concern with a number of the recommendations, specifically the CSIS background check requirement.
“I’m not aware of any other professions where we are going to implement CSIS checks,” said Alderman Allan Hunter.
According to City manager Paul Schulz, the practice is not uncommon in other municipalities.
“These recommendations don’t just come from the air,” he said. “The CSIS recommendation came from complaints we received and from actual citizens.”
Airdrie RCMP Sgt. Dennis Esayenko said requiring the CSIS checks is a way of ensuring the safety of residents.
“If you have citizens that move from another country … they might have had criminal records overseas,” he said. “In my experience as a police officer, there are many opportunities where people come from other countries with a criminal record. The buck stops with the (municipality)”
Alderman Glenda Alexander supported the requirement.
“I really believe we are just looking our for the best interests of the (people) of Airdrie,” she said.
Council directed staff to host a public input session to get feedback on the amendments.
The City hasn’t set a date for the public input session.
