Midland, Ontario de-regulates Taxis

Eliminates “Swiss cheese of a Taxi license by-law”

The town council of Midland, Ontario, has voted to get out of the business of regulating Taxis.

A motion made by Mayor Bill Gordon after midnight at the end of a lengthy eight-hour council session means the town will repeal any and all taxi licensing bylaws and to discontinue licensing related activities by the town effective immediately.

“We’re going to get out of the taxi licensing business,” Gordon stated.

 The motion followed a report and presentation at the September meeting where it was revealed through the municipal bylaw department that licensing compliance for Midland’s two taxi companies, Busy Bee Taxi and Central Taxi, had roughly a quarter of the nearly 80 taxi drivers licenced by the town to operate taxis. 

Councillor Catherine MacDonald complained that the past-midnight presentation of a new motion without a staff report was confusing. 

“I’m sorry, I am not clear why this popped up at this point in the evening, and almost feel like I don’t know how to vote because it’s silly that we’re dealing with it now,” said MacDonald, “I don’t know what the urgency was of three weeks but go ahead, carry on. I don’t know enough about the situation – a lot of hearsay, but statistically I’m not clear. But go ahead, have your conversation, I’ll fall asleep.”

Mayor Gordon says that since ride-share companies become active in Midland, the town wouldn’t have an ability to license them, and removing the taxi licensing aspect might cost the town some revenue but would free up staff time and level the playing field for taxi companies.

Councillor MacDonald requested a recorded vote on the subject and was the only councillor who opposed the motion.