Iqaluit council orders city to clarify extra taxi fees

Iqaluit’s taxi drivers and passengers should have a clearer picture of when $10 fares apply, as well as details on extra charges, once fares increase to $7 this winter. (PHOTO BY PETER VARGA)

Iqaluit’s taxi fares will soon increase to $7 — but not before the city clearly spells out when cabbies can charge $10, and extra fees for animals and baggage, city councillors decided Dec. 9.

City council swiftly agreed to increase the fare to $7 from $6 in the first and second readings of an amendment to the taxi bylaw’s tariff schedule, a standardized fee that has not changed since 2007.

Councillors were stumped, however, by other details in the schedule, which have not changed since 2004 – starting with $10 fares.

Most city residents know that transport to Apex from Iqaluit proper costs $10, as does transport to some outlying, non-residential areas.

But the bylaw’s definition of exactly when the higher charge applies needs to be sharpened, councillors agreed.

The bylaw states that $10 charges apply “from the Causeway to Apex or the Road to Nowhere from any location; taxi will only travel on roads maintained by the City.”

“We have to change that sentence to make it clearer,” said Coun. Romeyn Stevenson. “If somebody were charging me $10 and I didn’t know that, and they showed me that sentence, I still wouldn’t know what was going on.”

Other councillors agreed. The city’s chief of municipal enforcement, Kevin Sloboda, whose department is responsible for upholding the bylaw, said $10 charges apply when a taxi leaves the city’s residential areas, and ventures onto land without buildings.

Coun. Joanasie Akumalik added that this seems to include popular fishing spots in the West 40 area.

Another section of the bylaw states that animals carried “loose or in cages will be charged full adult rate.”

“I take it that this doesn’t include service dogs?” Coun. Kenny Bell asked Sloboda.

The chief said he could not give a definite answer.

An item relating to “hand luggage” also drew questions. “A maximum of two pieces of hand luggage will be carried free of charge,” the bylaw reads. “Extra hand baggage will be charged $3 per piece; this does not include groceries.”

Although councillors said they had never heard of such charges, the city clerk, Tracy Cooke, said city hall has drawn questions from residents who were “surprised” by extra charges for grocery bags and excess baggage.

Even so, all charges as written in the bylaw, with the exception of the increase to $7, have been in place since 2004, Cooke said.

Fares of $5 for passengers aged 60 and older will not change, and up to two children “accompanied by an adult going to the same place” will still travel free of charge.

Councillors agreed to pass second reading of the bylaw, and proceed with third reading at the next council meeting, on the condition that the department of municipal enforcement clarify exactly when $10 charges apply, and clearly state that passengers not be charged for “service animals” which accompany them on rides.

Sloboda confirmed that a full review of the taxi bylaw will take place early next year, based on direction from the city’s taxi review board committee.