Town bureaucracy angers Parry Sound Taxi

Town bureaucracy angers Parry Sound Taxi. Parry Sound Taxi co-owners Chris Kappes and Gerry LaBrash say they are fed up with the town’s bylaws, which they insist prevent them from doing their job and hiring new employees. Cody Storm Cooper/Beacon Star

PARRY SOUND - Parry Sound Taxi co-owner Chris Kappes says his company's latest issue with the town is another example of the municipality trying to control a private business.
It's been just two years since the Town of Parry Sound stopped regulating taxi fares, allowing the company to set its own rates, however, it still controls the issuing of taxicab driver's licences.
An amendment to its bylaw in February gave town staff the authority to grant temporary, 60-day taxicab licences, while new or existing employees await a criminal reference check and/or a vulnerable sector screening (which looks for any incidents of assault of minors or the disabled), providing individuals show receipts to prove the checks are forthcoming.
However, the bylaw states the town "may" issue the temporary licence. And giving Kappes no reason, two new Parry Sound Taxi employees were denied the temporary licences by bylaw enforcement officer Tammy Purdy Monday.
"Tammy greeted us, said, 'I know what you're down here for and I'm not issuing the licence to them.' I asked her why, she said, 'it says in there (the bylaw) 'may' issue and that's my authority and I'm not doing it.'"
Purdy said the business did not provide the proper documentation, but said she could not say what specifically.
"They didn't provide all the necessary information, so they were not issued a licence," Purdy said Wednesday morning. "February 2012 we made some changes (to the bylaw) to help the taxi owners so they could speed up the criminal reference checks. Everybody has to provide a vulnerable sector check, since the '90s. What we do now, is if someone has had a criminal reference check in the past 180 days, we may, if they've already started the process, we may issue (a temporary licence). It's at the discretion of the issuer of the licences, there's a couple of us (at the town office) who have the authority to issue the licences."
Town chief administrative officer Rob Mens echoed Purdy's sentiments.
"According to the council policy and the council bylaw, they don't have the documents in to the town office that are required," said Mens. "They have some, but they do not have what's required. They definitely do not have the documents required for the bylaw officer to make a decision. All that we're doing is protecting the public. That's why the town is involved in taxi regulation of any kind, because we have citizens going into these taxis. We want to make sure the vehicles are safe, they have to meet standards and they have to be safe and the drivers are (in good standing) which is proven to us through the criminal reference check and the vulnerable sector check."
Additionally, Kappes said his business is at the mercy of the town, because the West Parry Sound OPP need a written request for the reference checks to come from the town, not the business owner or individual.
"Any one of the three possible checks that we perform must be agency-driven or acquired for a justifiable purpose as per RCMP policy." said West Parry Sound OPP Community Services officer Charles Ostrom Wednesday morning.
“I can’t even go to the police station and pay to have a criminal reference check done, I have to get a letter from (Purdy) so she can look and see if I’m suitable to work for my company. That’s her decision, which is totally wrong,” said Kappes.
Although Kappes understands the necessity of having the background checks for his employees, they have been in business for more than 20 years and provide taxi service for a number of community organizations in addition to the public.
“We’ve been in business for over 20 years, we don’t want to hire someone that’s creepy or crazy or a sex offender or a drug addict behind the wheel, that’s our decision,” he said.
Shaun Arnold, 26, was one of the employees recently hired by Parry Sound Taxi, but can’t start working because the town won’t issue him the temporary licence.
“I have to wait five or six weeks minimum, before the criminal reference check comes back,” said Arnold, who is also a volunteer firefighter with Seguin Township. “I said to Tammy, ‘I lost my job a month ago, Chris is trying to help me out and get me some money.’ And she said, ‘Not my problem.’”
Kappes said they have hired many employees who bring the receipts to the town office and are still refused the temporary licence.
The company has brought the issue to the attention of Mayor Jamie McGarvey as well as several councillors.
Two letters, requesting the company have the authority to issue temporary taxicab licences or remove the word “may” from its bylaw amendment ensuring employees receive their licences promptly, were sent to council, to be addressed at its August 14 meeting.
McGarvey said he would like to see what other communities are doing in respect to issuing taxicab licences.
“Last time, we said whatever your rates, go ahead and set them, you know your business better than we do, we shouldn’t be in the business of telling you what you’re rates should be,” said McGarvey Wednesday afternoon. “Maybe we have too much say in their business, but I don’t know. I’d want to see what other communities are doing and if there’s provincial legislation that says we have to have some say in what goes on.”
In the meantime, Kappes estimates his business is losing about $200 a day for each car that’s not on the road picking up fares.
“It’s frustrating for us as owners and people we’re trying to employ,” he said.

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