THUNDER BAY -- Eighteen months into modernizing Thunder Bay's taxi bylaw, taxi subcommittee chair Brian McKinnon can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
"We're looking at the final touches. I can say that now. I couldn't say it before," he said.
"We're pretty close to actually putting it down on paper."
Thunder Bay is one of the only municipalities whose taxi regulation falls under the Police Services Board.
For a year and a half, the subcommittee has undertaken the complex task of transferring that control to city bylaw enforcement. McKinnon said a lot of that complexity comes from the upheaval in that ride share programs are having on the traditional structure of the taxi industry.
The Red River Councillor pointed to Ottawa's bylaw as a model for Thunder Bay in arguing the changing face of transportation needs to be met with effective and clear rules.
"If your bylaw is not well written, you run into a bit of a schmozzle like Toronto is going through and a couple of other cities across Canada," he said.
"If I'm a taxi owner and I have to pay $200,000 for a license in Toronto and then I have these other guys over here not paying anything, where's the fairness? You see this happening not only in North America but in Europe as well, where the taxi companies are striking."
McKinnon appreciates the balance between value and service when it comes to regulating taxi services. New services like Uber and Zipcar have taken off in urban centres but haven't yet taken a share of Thunder Bay's taxi market.
As airport shuttles look to expand their operations, the landscape is becoming more complex than it has ever been. He wants to make sure it's done right the first time when the regulatory authority transfers from the police board to the city.
"On one hand, you don't want to put a thumb down on enterprise but on the other hand, the taxis follow the rules up to this point so we have to make sure it's a win-win for everybody."
When the subcommittee produces its bylaw, it will be subject to the approval of City Council.
