MTO meeting “went well” says CTA’s Way
CTA president Marc André Way says a March 4th meeting with Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation (MTO) in advance of the upcoming ground transportation review “went well,” and he is looking forward to contributing to the consultations which begin on March 11th.
“It was a positive conversation, and staff seemed really to appreciate the information and perspectives we are bringing to the work being done to improve Ontario’s Vehicle for Hire industry,” Way told Taxi News.
The Canadian Taxi Association (CTA) sent a letter to Premier Doug Ford on January 19th outlining areas for improvement including consumer protection; passenger safety; compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities’ Act; drivers’ earnings; business being lost to gridlock and congestion; and emissions.
“As a result of your announcement of a ‘framework review‘ in the November 6th Fall Economic Statement, our group representing a wide range of interests impacted by ground transportation regulations assembled on January 7th to begin developing a vision for an improved regulatory environment in order to share it with you and your team as part of the upcoming review,” the letter said.
Stakeholders who contributed to the vision submitted to Ford included the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police; the Ottawa Police Service; the Rideshare Drivers Association of Ontario; RideFAIR; and accessibility advocates.
“We believe that the ground transportation review announced in the Fall Economic Statement presents an important opportunity to reaffirm the best decisions made over the past decade; revisit policies which are proving unhelpful or actively harmful; and develop a process for systemic review moving forward to ensure continued future success,” notes the letter to Ford.
“Technology will never stop advancing, and as the service providers working at the leading edge of these advancements we are committed to do everything possible to support you in developing the regulatory systems needed to keep Ontario moving, safely and effectively.”
On March 2nd, MTO sent an email to stakeholders informing them that consultation dates have been set for March 11, 13, 18 and 19th.
