By: Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Essex Free Press
Council for the Town of Essex provisionally adopted a by-law that – when passed in its entirety – will waive taxicab fees within the municipality on a 13-month trial.
That would be for the remainder of 2025, as well as 2026.
The issue was first spurred last November when Mayor Sherry Bondy put forward a Notice of Motion to have administration prepare a report on the costs and when the last time there was a cab license in the town. Council supported her motion at the December 2 meeting.
“I think we have to look at everything we can do to get more transportation options in our town,” she said at the time, after an Essex County OPP Detachment Board – North meeting where it was detailed that drinking and driving was up 91% in August 2024 – where there were 21 instances, compared to August 2023 – where there were 11 – in OPP policed areas. There were nine in August of 2022.
The licensing fees are $300 for the taxicab owner and $170 for the taxicab driver’s licence, with both fees requiring annual renewal at the same rate, the Report to Council notes.
The Town of Essex only had one licensed taxicab registration for 2023 and 2024. There were no licensed taxicab registrations for 2025.
Cory Simard, Manager of Legal, Licensing, & Enforcement, recommended the waiver of taxicab fees be for the 13-month trial period. He wanted to create “the greatest balance between trying to increase the number of available taxicabs for town residents and visitors, alongside providing safety and consumer protection for those who use taxicab services within the Town,” he wrote.
Adopting this amendment would remove the fees, but keep the current By-Law in place as it relates to the several requirements it has that create additional safety protocols for residents and visitors who utilize taxicab services. His report also outlines the current By-Law was originally enacted to ensure public safety, qualified drivers, and consumer protection.
In his report, he also outlines there has been significant change to the industry since the current By-Law was enacted, including the utilization of the rideshare company market, “which has led some local municipalities to deregulate their taxicab licensing program as the benefits of licensing taxicabs have been outweighed by the costs associated.”
Locally, LaSalle and Tecumseh have repealed their taxicab licensing By-Law as their programs were not feasible nor beneficial, he added.
In the future, the fee will be analyzed, should there be a sudden uptake in applications, and the requirement of more significant administrative time.
In the meantime, the price of processing the taxicab licences will be absorbed in the Operating Budget, Simard told Council.
Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley was in support, but had some concerns about the logistics.
Simard explained the Municipal Act has the licence for picking-up in the Town.
Director of Legal and Legislative Service, Joe Malandruccolo, added the Town cannot police who is coming in to pick-up or drop-off in town. Once licensed, a company can advertise its service in town.
In answering Councillor Rodney Hammond’s question on benefits to the taxicab and consumer on having the licensing in the town, a resident or visitor would likely have access to a ride sooner, Simard noted.
In answering Councillor Katie McGuire-Blais’s question on if other rideshare services have to take out a license, Simard noted they did not.
“I was happy to see this report, and maybe – just maybe – with a hope and a promise, we will get somebody to open up in Essex,” Mayor Sherry Bondy said, adding there could be residents who feel more comfortable calling a taxi than another rideshare service.
Simard noted the program will be reviewed at the end of the 13-month trial.