Aaron not paying Taxi renewal fees
Sudbury firm “at a loss” to understand how laws will be enforced
Aaron Taxi of Sudbury believes it should not have to pay to renew its Taxi licenses while government officials figure out Ontario’s new Vehicle for Hire laws.
In light of Ontario’s rideshare pilot, the release of Regulation 136/26 and the impact it is having on existing local businesses, “we believe it is prudent to request an extension to the renewal of our taxi licences. This will provide our organization time to consult with legal counsel, assess the damage this new legislation and weakened enforcement will cause to our business and decide on whether continuing our business as it has for the last 40-plus years remains feasible,” writes Aaron Group CEO Mike Sanders in a letter on August 30.
“In the absence of anyone else’s concern for our organization’s efforts in the community and our long-term viability, we must do everything possible to protect our own interests. “We’ve included copies of the safety inspections that have completed to this point as well as our Certificate of Insurance as evidence of our attempted compliance with current ByLaw or whatever remains of it.”
In an exchange of several emails during July obtained by Taxi News, both the Ministry of Transportation and the City of Sudbury stated that they are not responsible for enforcing ridesharing laws:
“We have reviewed and have determined that this does not fall under MTO’s purview. MTO does not licence rideshare companies. An online search indicates that the City of Sudbury is likely still the main point of contact (licencing and bylaws dept – including possibly sharing their concerns with local law enforcement.),” MTO stated.
