[00:00:02] AND I'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST TO [1. Opening Statement] ORDER. AND I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE IS LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY. FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL, IT'S BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION. WE RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS, METIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY. MS. BASSI-KELLETT ANYTHING FURTHER TO ADD TO THE AGENDA. [2. Approval of the agenda.] THANKS VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. NOTHING ELSE TO ADD. THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF. DOES ANY MEMBER HAVE A PECUNIARY INTEREST TODAY? SEEING NONE. NEXT, WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM REGARDING WHETHER TO AMEND DELIVERY LICENSE BYLAW NUMBER 4526 [4. A memorandum regarding whether to amend Livery Licence By‐law No. 4526, as amended, to permit the maximum age of taxis to increase from nine model years old to ten model years old.] AS AMENDED TO PERMIT THE MAXIMUM AGE OF TAXIS TO INCREASE FROM NINE MODEL YEARS OLD TO 10 MODEL YEARS OLD. 10 MODEL YEARS OLD. YES. MS. BASSI-KELLETT ANYTHING TO ADD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. YEAH, WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THIS CAME FORWARD FROM THE TAXI COMMUNITY ITSELF. WE DID RECEIVE A REQUEST FROM A TAXI OPERATING OPERATOR. OH MAN, I THINK I'M FROZEN TODAY SEEKING TO EXTEND THE MAXIMUM AGE, AND WE KNOW THAT COVID IS A MAIN REASON FOR THIS. IT'S PUT A REAL MONKEY WRENCH INTO THE SUPPLY CHAIN, WHICH HAS HAD AN IMPACT ON THE ACCESS TO NEW VEHICLES OR NEWER VEHICLES. AND SO ADMINISTRATION HAS CONSIDERED THE IMPLICATIONS OF EXTENDING THE AGE FROM NINE TO 10 YEARS. WE'VE LOOKED AT THE BEST PRACTICES IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS AND WE ARE THEREFORE WE ARE RECOMMENDING THIS CHANGE. WE DO HAVE ON THE BOOKS A COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF THE DELIVERY LICENSE BYLAW. IT'S ON OUR TO DO LIST. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE BIT DELAYED BY WORKLOAD AND COVID, BUT SO FAR THIS CHANGE WILL ADDRESS THE IMMEDIATE ISSUE AND WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF BIGGER ISSUES THAT WE WILL BE TACKLING ONCE WE GET TO THE OVERHAUL ITSELF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR MORSE, YOU HAD A QUESTION. YEAH, THANK YOU. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANY ACTUAL QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THIS RECOMMENDATION, IT SEEMS PERFECTLY REASONABLE AND THE REASONS FOR IT ALSO ARE. I'M JUST THINKING BACK. IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS SINCE WE KIND OF RECOGNIZE THAT OUR DELIVERY LICENSE BYLAW IS PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT OUT OF DATE. THERE WAS SOME REQUESTS THAT CAB DRIVERS HAD MADE YEARS AGO FOR CHANGES, AND I'M JUST WONDERING WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THAT NOTING THAT WE'RE JUST DOING A SMALL AMENDMENT TODAY AND THAT WE WERE TALKING NOT QUITE A WHILE AGO ABOUT DOING A MORE COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF THE BYLAW. SO JUST IS MY QUESTION THANKS. MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND IT'S ONE THAT WE I CONTINUE TO LOOK AT CLOSELY. WE DO HAVE PLANS FOR THE COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL. IT JUST HASN'T HAPPENED YET WE'VE HAD I THINK WHEN THAT LAST DISCUSSION CAME UP, THERE WAS PREVIOUS STAFF THAT WERE INVOLVED AT THE DIRECTOR AND MANAGER LEVEL. WE'VE HAD SOME TRANSITIONS. WE'VE HAD THE PRESSURES AROUND COVID, SO IT'S ON OUR WORK PLAN. THAT'S SOMETHING WE KNOW IS IMPORTANT. WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT NOW THAT THE COUNCIL HAS APPROVED THIS POLICY POSITION FOR US, DELIVERY LICENSE BYLAW IS ONE OF THE TOP ITEMS THAT'S ON THE LIST FOR THAT POSITION WHEN WE'RE ABLE TO FILL IT. SO WE DO SEE THAT WORK GETTING UNDERWAY THIS YEAR, AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE SOME SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS MADE. THANKS. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR ME. THANK YOU. NEXT I HAVE COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA. THANK YOU VERY MUCH YOUR WORSHIP AND THANK YOU ADMINISTRATION FOR THE PRESENTATION. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION JUST LOOKING FOR CLARIFICATION FOR THE CURRENT NINE YEARS CAN WE GET LIKE I JUST LOOKED AT MY MEMO, I DIDN'T SEE HOW WE ARRIVED AT THE NINE YEARS THAT WE WERE GOING BY. THANK YOU. THE NINE YEARS IS WHAT WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS, SO WE'RE MOVING FROM NINE YEARS TO 10 YEARS. YEAH. BUT MY QUESTION IS WHY WAS IT NINE OR WHY IS IT 10? IS THERE A REASON COULD NOTE LIKE THE WEAR AND TEAR, BUT JUST KIND OF TRYING TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE BEFORE I KIND OF MOVE ON WITH MY CONVERSATION? FOR SURE. MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, AND I BELIEVE IT IS ON THAT THE INTENT AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MS. HUNT-POITRAS AND TO MR. ROLAND. BUT THE INTENT IS TO LOOK AT BALANCING OUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SAFETY CAN BE MAXIMIZED AND THAT VEHICLES ARE RETIRED BEFORE THEY START TO BECOME UNSAFE. I KNOW IN YELLOWKNIFE, MANY WOULD ARGUE THAT A 30 YEAR OLD VEHICLE CAN BE REALLY SAFE BECAUSE OF LOW MILEAGE. IT'S ONLY GOING AROUND TOWN, BUT I WILL ASK OUR EXPERTS TO SPEAK IN THIS. I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JENNIFER HUNT-POITRAS. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT FOR THAT AND FOR THE QUESTION. YES, YOU PRETTY MUCH COVERED IT. [00:05:02] IT IS REALLY LOOKING AT THE ROLE THAT THE CITY HAS IN TERMS OF REGULATING AND ENSURING PUBLIC SAFETY WITH ALSO TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRY. SO A CROSS JURISDICTIONAL REVIEW WAS COMPLETED FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS AMENDMENT AND THAT WILL ALSO A MORE EXTENSIVE REVIEW WILL TAKE PLACE AS WELL WHEN WHEN WE DO THE OVERALL REVIEW OF THE BYLAW. OK, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO THE REASON I ASK THIS QUESTION AND MS. BASSI-KELLETT, YOU NAILED IT THINKING ABOUT YELLOWKNIFE AND HOW FAR THESE TAXICABS WOULD TRAVEL, SAY FROM THE AIRPORT, I JUST WAS HOPING TO HEAR THAT SOME MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WOULD PLAY A ROLE BECAUSE A FIVE YEAR OLD CAR, A 10 YEAR OLD CAR, 15 YEAR OLD CAR MIGHT STILL BE CONSIDERED NEW IN SOME JURISDICTIONS. SO WHEN I GO BACK TO LOOK AT THE MEMO AND SEE THAT INUVIK MOVED THERE A NUMBER OF YEARS FROM 10 TO 15 YEARS AND WHICH IS ALMOST A SIMILAR OR COMPARABLE SIZE TO YELLOWKNIFE WITH THREE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE. BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT BIGGER JURISDICTIONS WITH MORE PEOPLE, PROBABLY MORE USAGE OF THOSE VEHICLES LIKE [INAUDIBLE], THAT'S MOVED TO 10 YEARS AND CALGARY THAT'S MOVED TO 10, TORONTO DOWN TO SEVEN BASED ON THE DISTANCE THAT THESE VEHICLES TRAVEL. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS AND TO MY FELLOW COUNCILLORS IS, IS THERE ANY POSSIBILITY UNDERSTANDING THE HARDSHIP THAT THESE TAXI DRIVERS ARE FACING RIGHT NOW? THE SHORTAGES, THE COST OF RUNNING A TAXICAB IN YELLOWKNIFE COMPARED TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE SAYING 10 YEARS? IS THERE ANY APPETITE TO MOVE FROM THE RECOMMENDED 10 TO MAYBE A 15 JUST TO GIVE THESE CAB DRIVERS A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK SO THAT THEY COULD WORK HARDER, TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL AS SUPPORT, BE ABLE TO BE COMPLIANT WITHIN THE CITY DELIVERY LICENSE? THANK YOU. MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE COMMENT, I THINK. THANK YOU COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA, I THINK YOU RAISED A REALLY INTERESTING POINT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY WANT TO BE LOOKING INTO AS WE LOOK AT THE COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF THE DELIVERY LICENSE BYLAW AROUND HOW DO WE MEET THAT FUNDAMENTAL INTEREST THAT TAXI DRIVERS HAVE, THE CITY HAS, THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC PATRONS OF TAXI SERVICES HAVE, WHICH IS AROUND SAFETY AND VEHICLE SAFETY. EVERYONE HAS A SHARED INTEREST IN THAT. AND SO I THINK WE WILL WANT TO BE LOOKING AT THAT IN THE LONGER TERM THAT THERE CAN BE DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT. I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY MAKE THE DECISION. I DON'T HAVE THE VEHICLE THAT'S NEWER THAN 15 YEARS IN MY HOUSEHOLD, AND THEY'RE JUST FINE, THANKS. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT. BUT CERTAINLY AS WE LOOK AT THE SAFETY ANGLE, HOW DO WE UPHOLD THAT? THERE CAN BE DIFFERENT THINGS, DIFFERENT WAYS TO BE ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT. I KNOW AS WE GET TO DELIVERY LICENSE BYLAW, A COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL THAT'S DEFINITELY GOING TO BE SOMETHING FOR US TO BE LOOKING AT THERE. IN THIS CASE, WE WANTED TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE REQUESTS THAT CAME. I'LL ASK MS. HUNT-POITRAS OR MR. ROLAND IF THEY'VE GOT ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD. THANK YOU, MS. BASSI-KELLETT. NO, THAT PRETTY MUCH COVERS IT. I KNOW THAT WE DID TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER, BUT AGAIN, THIS BEING AN INTERIM MEASURE, KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THE COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL AND REVIEWING AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT FEEDBACK. THESE ARE THESE ARE FACTORS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CONSIDERING DURING THAT TIME AS WELL. I WILL PASS IT ON TO MR. ROLAND AS WELL TO ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR THAT. BASICALLY, IT WAS ALREADY COVERED BY MS. BASSI-KELLETT, MS. HUNT-POITRAS. THE AGAIN, THIS IS AN INTERIM KIND OF MEASURE BEFORE THE MORE COMPLETE OVERHAUL OF THIS BYLAW. AND I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT LIMITS AND DIFFERENT THINGS DOING OUR RESEARCH TO BRING THIS NUMBER FORWARD AND THE CROSS JURISDICTIONAL REVIEW, WE COULDN'T FIND TALKING ABOUT MILEAGE LIMITS AND STUFF, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAD MILEAGE LIMITS. HOWEVER, THERE WERE SOME OBVIOUSLY, THERE WAS SOME SMALLER COMMUNITIES AND SOME MUCH LARGER COMMUNITIES THAT HAD DIFFERENT YEARS AND STUFF. AND I THINK THE 10 YEAR LIMIT IS, AT LEAST IN THE INTERIM IS A GOOD MEASURE TO PUT IN PLACE TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE TAXI COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS ALSO KEEPING IN MIND PUBLIC SAFETY AND STUFF WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO EXTEND IT TOO MUCH. WE WANT TO KEEP IT KIND OF WITHIN A RANGE THAT IS MANAGEABLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO I'M JUST GOING TO PUT SOME SOMETHING OUT FOR MY FELLOW COUNCILLORS, JUST FOR US TO CONSIDER AS WE HEAR. [00:10:02] SO I DID DO A LITTLE BIT OF RESEARCH ON THIS, AND I DID FIND THAT IN BIGGER JURISDICTIONS, THE AVERAGE TAXI DRIVER MAKES AROUND $18.25 AN HOUR. IN YELLOWKNIFE THE AVERAGE TAXI DRIVER MAKES ABOUT TWENTY DOLLARS AN HOUR. WE'RE HEARING OVER AND OVER THAT THE BUSINESS HAS REALLY SLOWED DOWN OVER THE YEARS. BUT WE ALSO DID NOTE THAT THE COST OF RUNNING THIS TAXI IS ALMOST DOUBLE IN YELLOWKNIFE. SO IF WE'RE MAKING 20 BUCKS AN HOUR AND PAYING DOUBLE OR RUNNING DOUBLE THE COST, IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US TO CONTINUE TO REPLENISH WHERE, IN MOST CASES, VEHICLES AT A 10 YEAR MARK. SO $10 AN HOUR IS WHAT IT PROBABLY COMES DOWN TO AND GETTING A NEW VEHICLE AT $10 AN HOUR EVERY 10 YEARS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M JUST GOING TO LEAVE IT AT THIS RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR KONGE. THANK YOU. YEAH, SO. YOU KNOW, I THINK. WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, OKAY, SO WE DECIDED NINE YEARS, BUT I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN YOU CAN OWN A VEHICLE AND DO ABSOLUTELY ZERO MAINTENANCE TO IT. AND AFTER THREE YEARS, IT'S PROBABLY NOT SAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. OR YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME VEHICLE AND YOU CAN MAINTAIN IT RELIGIOUSLY AND AFTER 30 YEARS, IT COULD BE AS NEW. SO. YOU KNOW, I KIND OF HAVE A PROBLEM WITH JUST DECIDING A YEAR, BECAUSE IF AT THE END OF THE DAY WHICH I'VE, I BELIEVE OUR INTENT IS TO KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE VEHICLES THAT THE PUBLIC GOES INTO. SO IF THE INTENT IS TO KEEP THEM SAFE, JUST SAYING NINE YEARS, 10 YEARS, 15 YEARS, THAT DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEET WHAT OUR INTENT IS. SO I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW IT WAS WHEN I WAS IN EUROPE, AND IF YOU BOUGHT A NEW VEHICLE, YOU GOT A LICENSE PLATE. IF YOU WANT TO RENEW THAT LICENSE PLATE AT, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE FIVE YEAR MARK IT HAD TO GO IN AND GET SAFETY. AND THEN AFTER THAT, IT HAD TO GET SAFETY EVERY TWO YEARS. SO I DON'T I KNOW THAT CURRENTLY I BELIEVE THAT THE TAXI DRIVERS ON A YEARLY BASIS AND I LIKE ADMINISTRATION JUST TO SAY WHETHER THIS IS RIGHT OR WRONG, BUT ON A YEARLY BASIS, I BELIEVE THE TAXI DRIVERS BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN. I BELIEVE SOMEBODY FROM MED, THEY GO OUT AND THEY SIT IN THE CAR AND THEY, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE BLINKER LIGHTS WORK AND THE HEADLIGHTS WORK AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORK. AND I THINK THAT'S ABOUT THE EXTENT OF IT. IS THAT CORRECT? MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THIS. I'LL ASK MS. HUNT-POITRAS AND MR. ROLAND TO RESPOND, WE DO HAVE AN ANNUAL CHECK IN WITH TAXI DRIVERS. MR. ROLAND CAN GIVE US SOME DETAIL. CORRECT. I WILL ALSO PASS THIS OVER TO MR. ROLAND TO GIVE SOME DETAIL ON WHAT THE ANNUAL INSPECTION INVOLVES. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO BASICALLY, THE EVERY TAXI WITHIN THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE HAS TO BE INSPECTED ANNUALLY UP TO UNTIL THEY REACH THE AGE OF SIX YEARS SIX MODEL YEARS OLD, THEY'RE INSPECTED FIRST BY A MECHANIC, A LICENSED MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC THEN FILLS OUT A SHEET. THEY LOOK VERY MUCH. I'M GOING TO HOLD IT UP HERE. THEY LOOK LIKE THIS SHEET. IT'S A CHECKLIST BASICALLY JUST SHOWING IT TALKS ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF THE VEHICLE. YOU KNOW, THE THE WINDSHIELD, THE BRAKES, TIRES, BASICALLY ALL THE COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE. AND THEN THE MECHANIC HAS TO, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS LIKE IF, LET'S SAY, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, THEY SAY, WE RECOMMEND THAT IT'S REPLACED. OR IF THE, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THAT WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE WE WOULD AUTHORIZE THIS TAXI TO BE OPERATIONAL. AFTER THIS INSPECTION IS DONE BY THE MECHANIC OR BY THE SHOP THEY COME INTO CITY HALL AN MED OFFICE WILL CONDUCT AN INSPECTION. BASICALLY EXACTLY LIKE WHAT WAS SAID. IT'S CHECKING THE LIGHTS, CHECKING THE THE DOOR HANDLES WORK, CHECKING THE SEATBELTS WORK THAT KIND OF THING. BUT ALSO IN ADDITION TO THAT IS CHECKING OUT THE METERS ARE ACCURATE AND CALIBRATED TO SHOWING THE PROPER AMOUNT FOR THE FARES. AND THEN, OF COURSE, WHEN VEHICLES ARE TURNED SIX YEARS OLD UP UNTIL THE LIMIT OF NINE YEARS OLD, THERE THAT'S ON A SEMIANNUAL BASIS. SO TWICE A YEAR, THEY'LL COME IN WITH THE MECHANICAL INSPECTION AND THE MED INSPECTION AS WELL. OK. SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT THAT'S GREAT. AND BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY DOING THAT, I WOULDN'T PUT AN AGE LIMIT ON THE TAXIS AT ALL. SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WE MAINTAIN THESE INSPECTIONS AS WE ARE DOING. AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER SIX YEARS OF AGE, THEY NEED TO GO IN FOR [00:15:07] TWICE A YEAR, THESE INSPECTIONS, AND THEY CAN RUN THOSE TAXIS UNTIL THEY DECIDE THEY DON'T WANT TO RUN THEM ANYMORE. I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE QUITE REASONABLE. WE'RE KEEPING THE PUBLIC SAFE. WE'RE LETTING THE ENTREPRENEURS DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY NEED NEW TAXIS OR OLD TAXIS FOR THEIR CUSTOMER BASE, WHETHER THE MAINTENANCE ON THEM IS BECOMING PROHIBITIVE TO MAKE MONEY, I MEAN, AS VEHICLES GET OVER OLDER, THE MAINTENANCE DOES TEND TO BECOME MORE SO. I THINK THE MARKET WILL KIND OF DICTATE WHETHER NINE IS THE RIGHT YEAR 10, 12, 15 OR 30. I REMEMBER BEING IN EUROPE AND YOU'D COME OUT OF THE BARS AT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING AND THERE'D BE A WHOLE ROW OF TAXIS AND WE DECIDE, WELL, TONIGHT WE'RE DRIVING IN A BMW AND WE JUST GO AND PICK THE BMW TAXI. THAT'S WHAT WE WANTED. THAT'S WHAT WE GOT IN. YOU KNOW, SO THE CUSTOMERS WILL DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE OUT THERE AS WELL, SO I WOULD PROPOSE NO AGE REQUIREMENTS. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR SMITH. THANK YOU. MY COMMENT HAS KIND OF TURNED INTO A QUESTION. SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THE MAJORITY OF WHAT MY FELLOW COUNCILLORS HAVE STATED. I'M CURIOUS, THOUGH, HOW ARE REINFORCING THAT THESE SIX YEAR MODELS ARE GETTING INSPECTIONS? AND ARE WE INSPECTING? ARE WE JUST LOOKING AT THE MECHANICAL? OR ARE WE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE PHYSICAL OF THE TAXI ITSELF? BECAUSE THERE'S THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OUT THERE THAT ARE MISSING PARTS OF THEIR BUMPER AND SUCH. AND I'VE HAD MANY, MANY YELLOWKNIFERS COME TO ME AND JUST BLUNTLY SAY, YOU KNOW THIS, YOU KNOW THESE CAB DRIVERS ARE A PUBLIC TRANSIT AND IT REPRESENTS WHAT YELLOWKNIFE IS. AND IF WE'VE GOT TAXIS THAT ARE GOING AROUND THAT HAVE CRACKED BUMPERS AND SO ON, YOU KNOW, IT'S A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT YELLOWKNIFE IS. AND IF YOU KNOW, WE'RE HOPING IN THE FUTURE TO HAVE TOURISTS COME BACK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THIS IS THE IMAGE THAT WE'RE WE'RE GIVING. SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE ON THE ACTUAL BODY OF THE VEHICLE. MS. BASSI-KELLETT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'LL ASK MS. HUNT-POITRAS TO RESPOND. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. MY UNDERSTANDING AND I WILL GET MR. ROLAND TO GIVE MORE SPECIFICS ON IT, BUT THOSE IF THERE WAS A BUMPER THAT WAS HANGING OFF, THIS KIND OF THING WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE NOTED IN THE ANNUAL INSPECTION BY MED AS WELL. SO I'D ASK MR. ROLAND TO GIVE MORE SPECIFICS ON THAT. THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. AND I JUST WENT AND GRABBED ONE OF OUR TAXI INSPECTION CHECKLIST HERE. SO AS I STATED PREVIOUSLY, [INAUDIBLE] GOES OVER THE METER, MAKING SURE IT'S ACCURATE, THE LIGHTS, WINDSHIELD, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HORN, TIRES, SEAT BELTS, GENERAL CLEANLINESS OF THE VEHICLE. MAKE SURE THAT THE TRUNK CAN OPEN. WE ALSO CHECK FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE VEHICLE PAINT MATCHES, THAT THERE'S THE VEHICLE MARKINGS, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER TAXI, TAXI COMPANY, THAT THEY HAVE THE THE ROOF TAXI LIGHT ON AS WELL. AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, IF THERE'S. IT WOULD BE NOTED IF THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OR THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED BEFORE BEING APPROVED. SOMETIMES WE'LL GET LIKE WHEN WE DO OUR INSPECTION AFTER IT COMES FROM THE SHOP WE'LL NOTICE, YOU KNOW, THE TIRES ARE THE TREAD'S NOT VERY GOOD OR THERE'S A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT MAYBE THE SHOP SAID IT WAS OK. BUT USING OUR DISCRETION, WE DID DECIDE THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, SHOULD WE REALLY BE REPLACED BEFORE BEING AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE. SO, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY ABOUT LIKE, YOU KNOW, VEHICLES BEING KIND OF IN ROUGHER SHAPE. THOSE THINGS DO GET NOTED, HOWEVER, MAINLY FOCUSED ON THE SAFETY SIDE OF IT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE MECHANICS ARE WORK MECHANICALLY FIT, BUT ALSO THEY'RE SAFER BECAUSE THEY ARE A VALUABLE RESOURCE WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC TRANSIT AND SAFE TRANSPORT. SO THAT'S OUR INSPECTION MAINLY IS TARGETED TOWARDS SAFETY, BUT ALSO LIKE THINGS LIKE VEHICLE PAINT AND CLEANLINESS IS NOTED AS WELL. THANK YOU. WELL, I'M HOPING THAT WHEN WE DO THE REVAMP OF THE DELIVERY LICENSE THAT WE DO PAY ATTENTION TO THE BODY WORK BECAUSE THAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT. [00:20:02] AGAIN, IT'S A REPRESENTATION OF WHAT THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE AND YELLOWKNIFE SHOULD BE. SO I'M HOPING LIKE, I MEAN, AS A BUSINESS OWNER, I TAKE PRIDE IN THE WAY IN WHICH MY BUSINESS LOOKS. I DON'T LIKE WHEN IT'S DIRTY, SO I MAKE SURE IT'S CLEAN. I SWEEP UP EVERYTHING'S DUSTED ALL THOSE THINGS. SO, I MEAN, AS A CABDRIVER, I'M SURE THEY TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR WORK AS WELL. SO THESE THINGS SHOULD BE NOTED AS WELL AS IMPORTANT. THAT'S ALL. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. SORRY, MADAM CHAIR, DID MR. PAYNE GET IN THERE BEFORE ME OR SHALL I JUST PROCEED? I JUST WANTED TO THROW MY SUPPORT BEHIND COUNCILLOR KONGE'S COMMENTS AND SAY THAT IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY AFTER SIX YEARS, QUITE A RIGOROUS INSPECTION AND A LOT OF ATTENTION DONE ON THESE PARTICULAR VEHICLES AND COULD CERTAINLY SEE A COMPELLING CASE FOR NO NEED FOR A SPECIFIC AGE BECAUSE OF THE DUE DILIGENCE THAT'S DONE BY CITY STAFF AND THE MECHANICS. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR PAYNE AND THEN COUNCILLOR MORSE AGAIN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YEAH, STACIE HAD ALREADY ASKED MY QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANT TO PUT MY SUPPORT BEHIND WHAT COUNCILLOR KONGE SAID. AND RECOGNIZING WHAT COUNCILLOR SMITH HAS SAID AS WELL, LIKE WE ARE WHAT WE SEE OR THEY ARE WHAT THEY SEE OR WHAT PEOPLE SEE. SO IT'S NICE WHEN YOU'RE GOING UP TO A CAB OR BUSSES OR WHATEVER TO HAVE HAVE EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES THAT LOOK GOOD AND THAT ARE GOING TO REPRESENT US AS A CITY. SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S I THINK GOING THAT ROUTE IS PROBABLY BETTER THAN SETTING TERMS ON THESE CARS. I MEAN, LIKE NIELS SAID, I'VE SEEN TWO AND THREE YEAR OLD VEHICLES THAT WERE ABSOLUTE RAT BAGS, RIGHT, BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN'T TAKE CARE OF THEM. SO IF WE HAVE SOME STANDARDS AROUND THE MISSING BUMPERS AND YOU KNOW HOW THE INSIDE LOOKS AND HOW CLEAN VEHICLES ARE, I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MORE IMPORTANT THAN PUTTING A TIME LIMIT ON HOW LONG WE CAN HAVE THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR MORGAN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, I APPRECIATE COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA POINTING OUT YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT STANDARDS IN DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS AND THINGS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER GOING INTO THE MORE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE DELIVERY LICENSE BY LAW AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THE BURDEN THAT WE PUT ON TAXI DRIVERS IN TERMS OF THE REQUIREMENTS, BUT OBVIOUSLY OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS SAFETY. I DO APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS PEOPLE MAKE ABOUT MAYBE WE COULD FOCUS ON THE INSPECTIONS OR RELY ON THAT MORE THAN A YEAR PER SAY. BUT I THINK ALL OF THIS CAN JUST BE CONSIDERED MORE COMPREHENSIVELY BY ADMIN DURING THE FULL REVIEW. SO I THINK WE NEED TO HOLD OFF ON MAKING ANY DECISIONS UNTIL ADMIN HAS A CHANCE TO DO THAT RESEARCH AND COME BACK. AND THEN WE CAN SORT OF THE FINAL DETAILS AT THAT TIME. BUT I THINK FOR NOW, IT'S GOOD ENOUGH JUST TO EXTEND THE MAXIMUM AGE LIFE OF THE TAXIS TO JUST GIVE MORE TIME FOR ADMIN TO FINISH THAT REVIEW. AND THEN WE CAN SORT OF REVAMP IT ONCE WE GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO FINISH THAT RESEARCH. AND IN TERMS OF THE COMMENTS ON THE MORE COSMETIC ASPECTS OF TAXIS AND WHETHER THEY LOOK NICE OR NOT, I JUST DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE FAIR TO PUT REQUIREMENTS ON TAXI DRIVERS THAT WE DON'T PUT ON OTHER BUSINESSES AROUND TOWN LIKE THEY'RE PRIVATE BUSINESSES. WE DON'T REQUIRE THAT ANY OTHER BUSINESS WITH A CORPORATE VEHICLE THAT GOES AROUND TOWN LOOKS NICE OR LOOKS A CERTAIN WAY OR NOT. IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE WAY A TAXI LOOKS, THEY COULD NOT HIRE THAT TAXI COMPANY. THERE ARE MULTIPLE TAXI COMPANIES TO CHOOSE FROM HERE. SO I MEAN, WE WOULD JUST FINISHED HEARING PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO MAKE A LIVING AS A TAXI DRIVER IN THIS TOWN AND THE NEED FOR US TO CONSIDER NOT PUTTING ADDITIONAL BURDENS ON THEM. SO I DON'T I THINK I THINK WE SHOULD JUST BE FOCUSED ON SAFETY AND THEN, AS OTHERS HAVE SAID, LET THE CUSTOMER DECIDE WHEN IT COMES TO MORE COSMETIC THINGS IF THAT THEY LIKE OR DON'T LIKE ABOUT THE LOOK OF TAXICABS. BUT CERTAINLY WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON JUST MAKING SURE THAT WHEN PEOPLE GET INTO A TAXI, IT'S [00:25:01] A SAFE RIDE. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE COUNCILLOR MORGAN OF THE CURRENT RECOMMENDATION THAT WAS WHAT WAS PROPOSED BY THE RESIDENT THAT BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TO HAVE THE ONE YEAR WOULD BE OPEN TO HAVING ADMIN LOOK AT THE AGE QUESTION IN MORE DETAIL DURING THE COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW. BUT FOR TODAY, I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE 10 YEAR, BUT I AM HEARING COUNCILLOR KONGE, PAYNE AND WILLIAMS IN FAVOR OF NO LIMITS. COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA SORRY, COUNCILLOR SMITH, DID YOU HAVE AN OPINION ON NO LIMIT OR 15 OR 10? I'M OKAY WITH 10. 10 OK. COUNCILLOR MUFANDAEDZA. 15, 10, NO LIMIT. ANYTHING IN BETWEEN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH, YOUR WORSHIP. YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M NOT SURE I KIND OF CAME IN WITH THINKING OF A LIMIT, BUT I GUESS DO WE KNOW WHEN THIS REVIEW WOULD BE COMPLETED? ALWAYS TOUGH TO SAY WITH WITH WORKLOAD AND COVID AND ALL, EVERY OTHER FUN ITEM THAT COMES, BUT MS. BASSI-KELLETT TIMELINE. YEAH, THANKS VERY MUCH. JUST LOOKING AT THE SMALL PRINT ON OUR 2022 WORK PLAN, OUR PLAN HAS BEEN TO GET THIS UNDERWAY. GOSH, EVER SINCE WE TALKED ABOUT THE TAXI METERS IN 2018, I BELIEVE IT'S BEEN ON OUR WORK PLAN SINCE THEN. WE DO HAVE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, WHICH ADMINISTRATION IS VERY APPRECIATIVE TO COUNCIL FOR PROVIDING US WITH THE POLICY POSITION. WE WILL BE GETTING THAT STAFFED. I BELIEVE BY IN THE SECOND QUARTER, WE'VE GOT SOMEONE TO HIT THE GROUND ON THAT ONE. AND THAT'S WHEN THIS WORK, ALONG WITH SOME OF THE OTHER POLICY AND BYLAW REVIEW PROJECTS, WILL BE GETTING UNDERWAY. SO I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT THAT WORK WILL BE HAPPENING IN THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH YOUR WORSHIP. SO MY THOUGHT IS I'M JUST WORRIED THAT IF WE IF I GO WITH A 10 AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS THIS YEAR, WE'RE STILL KIND OF PUSHING THOSE TAXI DRIVERS THAT ARE AT THAT NINE YEAR MARK OR GETTING TO THAT 10 YEAR MARK TO GET NEW VEHICLES. WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT TOURISM HAS HAS BEEN NONEXISTENT AND A LOT OF THE CAB DRIVERS ARE REALLY, REALLY STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. SO I'M GOING TO GO WITH NO LIMIT, JUST SO THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO BE ABLE TO STAY ON THE ROAD WHILE THINGS KIND OF PICK BACK UP. SO I'LL GO WITH NO LIMIT FOR NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR. SILVERIO OR MORSE, DO YOU HAVE ANY OPINION ON 10 OR NO LIMIT AGAIN YOU DON'T HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION TODAY, BUT JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S IF THERE'S A MAJORITY IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER. THAT'S THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WILL COME FORWARD TO COUNCIL SO WE CAN KEEP IT AS IS AND DURING COUNCIL, MAKE AN AMENDMENT OR CAN IF YOU HAVE A STRONG FEELING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, YOU CAN LET US KNOW TODAY. COUNCILLOR SILVERIO. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. TO ME, I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO CONSIDER THIS FOR THE EXTENSION THAT THEY'RE ASKING. I THINK WE NEED TO DO A REALLY GOOD REVAMP ON THE BYLAW BECAUSE THERE'S IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT SAFETY, WE ALSO NEED TO MENTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, INSIDE THE TAXI HOW THEY CAN MANAGE COVID AS WELL INSIDE, HOW OFTEN THEY NEED TO CLEAN THE, YOU KNOW, JUST TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFETY FOR PUBLIC AS WELL. SO TO ME RIGHT NOW, I THINK I WAS JUST KIND OF GIVE THE 10 YEAR EXTENSION AND THEN WITH THE REVAMP AFTER. OK THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR MORSE ANY. THANKS. I'M FINE, HONESTLY, WITH JUST GOING WITH WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS RECOMMENDED, I MEAN, THEY DID BACKGROUND RESEARCH ON IT. I DON'T SEE THE NEED TO ARBITRARILY JUST ELIMINATE THE MAXIMUM ALTOGETHER, YOU KNOW, UNLESS WE HAD GOOD REASON TO DO THAT. YEAH. I'LL JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT. OK, THANK YOU. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE WE'LL BRING FORWARD THE RECOMMENDATION AS PRESENTED, HOWEVER, AT COUNCIL WHEN WE DISCUSSED THIS NEXT MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH, AMENDMENTS AND CHANGES CAN BE MADE, SO FOLKS THINK ABOUT IT A LITTLE FURTHER AND WANT TO MAKE SOME CHANGES, WE CAN DO THAT AT THAT TIME. WITH THAT, IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO MOVE IN CAMERA. [IN CAMERA] MOVED BY COUNCILLOR PAYNE, SECOND BY COUNCILLOR SMITH. ANYBODY OPPOSED? [00:30:01] SEEING NONE, WE CAN MOVE IN CAMERA, SEE EVERYBODY IN TWO SECONDS. AND WE HAVE NO BUSINESS ARISING FROM IN-CAMERA, SO IF I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN. MOVE BY COUNCILLOR KONGE, SECOND BY COUNCILLOR SMITH, ANYBODY OPPOSED. SEEING NONE WE CAN BE ADJOURNED. SEE EVERYBODY NEXT MONDAY AT NOON. AND WEDNESDAY AT. [INAUDIBLE] * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.