Case closed

In an important decision late last month, a judge has ruled against Toronto licensed livery and limousine operators seeking to quash stringent conditions in the City’s
bylaw regulating the livery industry. For Toronto cab operators, the stakes in this case were high. For one, the judge’s decision upholds the City’s authority to act under the City of Toronto Act, a critical issue in the upcoming Airport Exemption case. It also virtually closes the door to Pearson operators who may soon want to attain City of Toronto livery licenses.

TTIA launches sweeping campaign
for industry-wide driver support

New industry-wide organization is asking drivers for one-time $50 donation to support Toronto industry’s legal battle to end airport cab and limo pickups in the city once and for all

by Mike Beggs

"We can make a huge difference with that $50.”

So says Jamshid Bagherzadeh, one of the organizers of the fledgling Toronto Taxi Industry Association (TTIA), which has just launched a fundraising push as it readies to file for third party intervenor status in the ongoing legal battle over trips to the airport originating in Toronto.

TTIA leaders are well aware that despite the headway they’ve made in bringing owners, brokers, and drivers onto the same page on this issue, their bottom line will be the level of financial support that flows from the driver ranks.

Bagherzadeh suggests that for Toronto cabbies, this $50 donation will be made up for quickly, if this war is won and the airport drivers are barred from picking up in the city once and for all.

“Right now we believe the taxi drivers are under the poverty line,” he observes. MORE

Judge backs City in T.O. limo case

By John Q. Duffy

A judge has completely upheld the City’s actions in making controversial changes to its by-law governing limousine and livery licensing in Toronto.

It didn’t take long for Judge Nancy Backhouse to decide in favor of the City. The hearing was held on Thursday, April 24, 2008, and her decision was announced on Monday, April 28th.

In her written decision, Judge Backhouse said, “The City met its duty to consult, that the impugned provisions of the by-law were rational regulations in the public interest and there was no basis for quashing them.”

Toronto City councillor Howard Moscoe commented, “I think it really strengthens our hand with respect to the City of Toronto Act. He said the judge decided the limo operators, “had no case. There was plenty of consultation and we had good reason for doing what we did.” MORE

Toronto limo operators’ case built
on tough restrictions

Toronto limo operators wanted the courts to quash a 2005 bylaw that lifted the freeze on limo issues while also imposing what they say are onerous and unreasonable conditions

by John Q. Duffy

A Superior court judge has heard arguments and reserved her decision in a case where Toronto’s new livery cab and limousine By-law is being challenged.

The Toronto Livery Association, the Ontario Limousine Owners’Association and Taras Danylevich personally, are attempting to quash a 2005 Toronto By-law that, among other things, imposes a ratio of stretch limousines to sedan vehicles, sets a minimum price of $70 per hour for the first two hours of hire, disallows license transferability, shortens allowable vehicle life, prevents the use of “direct dial” (cellular) telephones by drivers, requires all limousines to affiliate themselves with a service company and prevents livery cars from waiting closer than 200 meters from hotels and restaurants more than 20 minutes before they are expected to pick up documented prearranged fares, among other allegations.

In exchange for the new restrictions, the City lifted a 20-year freeze on issuing new livery licenses. MORE