Cobourg council news: Vehicles For Hire bylaw passed; apology sought by advocate

By Cecilia Nasmith

In hopes of offering more transportation options, Cobourg council passed a Vehicle For Hire bylaw Wednesday night that aims to attract app-based ride-sharing services available in bigger cities.

The bylaw governs all vehicles for hire, and concern within the local taxi businesses was expressed by Kelly Payton, owner-operator of Cobourg Cab and industry advocate

Payton predicted an initial huge influx of drivers in the first six months, “ultimately affecting local companies, resulting in job losses and decreased hours of operation, and complete closure altogether.”

After about a year, she predicted bigger companies getting into the market, squeezing out the smaller ones and resulting in reduced services overall.

Where does that leave people who aren't at ease using an app-based company, she pointed out.

She referred to attempts to attract ride-sharing app services as “bending over for the big out-of-town corporations.

“This will result in the little fish being wiped out by the big fish, and then increasing the prices,” she predicted.

Municipal Clerk Brett Larmer gave a report on public engagement on Vehicle For Hire standards, which included an Engage Cobourg survey that was up from April 4 to 18 and received 200 responses. Of that number, almost half the respondents fell into the 56-to-75 age category. 

Asked if they would feel confident using the new services, 76% said yes and 18% said maybe.

Respondents expressed concern over long wait times and limited hours of operation with current taxi services. They voiced a wish for more options, for example, for people who worked late hours or who needed to get around on holidays and weekends.

“There was a general sense of support for the bylaw from the public,” Larmer summed up.

He added that meetings had also taken place with current players in the industry to get their input as well.

“We have listened to them and made a fair bit of changes,” he noted.

Going forward, all these services – from app-summoned transportation to limousine services and taxicabs – will be known by the generic Vehicle For Hire label.

Larmer reported conversations with Peterborough, which has brought in app-based ride-share services – two such companies, in fact.

“I asked, when you brought them in, was there a real change or loss of ridership for taxis,” he said. 

What they found was that a significant number of people opted to keep with what was familiar, and to continue using taxis.

“You never know until you try,” Larmer said.

Both Larmer and the mayor stressed that they welcome continued input from the taxi industry and from VFH users as the options unroll.

“This bylaw is crafted in a way that other municipalities can simply adopt this bylaw if they choose to. In doing so, they create a larger market,” Cleveland said.

“It is our hope that they do, because the bigger the marketplace, the better chance we have of attracting good competition.”

…

Apology refused at council 

Missy McLean appeared before Cobourg council's April meeting to demand an apology from three of its members – a demand that was met with dead silence.

The registered social worker and director of Ontario Moms Stop the Harm had been disturbed by discussions of changes to the town's grants policy at council's April 2 Strategic Priorities and Policy standing committee, when Mayor Lucas Cleveland made the motion that, at no point in this term of council, would grants be given to her organization or to Green Wood Coalition.

As an aside, McLean said, Moms Stop the Harm did not request a grant at all.

And she was further upset by Councillor Miriam Mutton's comment that the group's ideology and activities hurt people.

“In light of these comments, I felt it was vital to come before council and introduce Moms Stop The Harm,” McLean said.

This national organization was begun by families of loved ones struggling with substance abuse and its related harms and deaths. They advocate for change to failed drug policies, provide peer support to grieving families, and assist those with loved ones who still struggle with the problem. 

Begun in 2016, it is now a nationwide organization that strives to educate, advocate and support. They call for evidence-based prevention treatment and policy change, wide access to harm reduction, upstream prevention, a safer regulated supply and decriminalization of people who use drugs.

On Dec. 14, 2020, she pointed out, Cobourg council unanimously supported her group's municipal resolution on the overdose crisis.

In 2021, they organized two groups – the peer-support group Holding Hope Northumberland and the peer-support grieving circle Healing Hearts Northumberland. They participate with such partner agencies as the Canadian Mental Health Association, Green Wood Coalition and the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit in annual observances of International Overdose Awareness Day. And each Christmas, their white Healing Hearts Memorial Tree is set up Victoria Hall with ornaments to commemorate loved ones lost,

McLean had two things to ask.

She wanted a public explanation from the mayor why he targeted the group at the meeting.

She also asked for a public apology from the mayor and Councillor Mutton for their remarks, and also from Councillor Brian Darling, who voted in support of Cleveland's motion (which was ultimately defeated).

No councillor raised a hand to pose a question of clarification or make a comment.

“Thank you for coming here tonight and giving us a chance to understand what Moms Stop the Harm do,” the mayor said.

Having taken time on his own to review the organization, he noted the requirement for advocates and directors to conduct themselves with integrity and respect while in their public roles.

“You are the regional director of Moms Stop The Harm – is the national board aware and do they condone your actions as an individual in this community to set up and run an illegal, unsanctioned consumption site?” Cleveland asked.

McLean said her fellow board members are aware of what she termed her “grass-roots work to save lives.

“I absolutely stand by my actions of showing care, of taking care of the most marginalized members of this community by providing individual support to those members.”

She asked when she might expect a response to her two requests.

“That would be up to this council to decide, and this council is choosing not to make that decision,” Cleveland replied.

McLean's comments were not referenced in any way as council confirmed the standing committee's recommendation to restructure the grant process for 2025 to shift the actual decision making to a third party.