Chestermere city council was split four to three in passing the first reading of an amendment to the city’s business licensing bylaw that would require all vehicles providing livery service in Chestermere to have a business license.
The amendment to the bylaw proposes that all drivers picking up customers in the city have a valid class 4 license and that, “all livery vehicles picking up customers within Chestermere must obtain a Business License from the City.”
The cost of the business license would be $50.
In a recorded vote, Councillors, Cathy Burness, Laurie Bold, Mel Foat and Mayor Marshall Chalmers all voted in support of the amendment.
Councillors, Yvette Wagner, Michelle Young, and Ritesh Narayan voted against it.
“We did pass first reading,” said Chalmers, “But clearly we’re looking to engage the industry whether it’s the local taxi company or taxi companies and or Uber to get their additional input before we move on to second and third reading.”
Some of the concerns debated by council included how the bylaw could be enforced on ride sharing services such as Uber.
City Chief Administrative Officer Bernie Morton told council creating a tiered system where taxi services and ride sharing services have different regulations where taxis require a license while ride shares don’t would be challenging.
Councillor Wagner also raised a concern about the potential of the amendment to dissuade livery services from operating in the city since without any public transportation there is a need for taxi and ride sharing services in Chestermere.
In passing first reading, council and staff can now conduct more public and industry engagement before the amendment is returned to council for second and third reading in 2019.
“We want to understand the industry and make sure that we move forward appropriately,” said Chalmers.
“This is about engaging the livery service industry and… letting them have their say so we can make the best decision possible,” he said.
