St. John's looking at other jurisdictions in effort to make taxi industry safer

The City of St. John's is looking to other jurisdictions for ideas on how it can better regulate the taxi industry, and will be holding meetings to discuss ways to make getting a cab safer.

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"To make the taxi industry safer the city is committed to working with law enforcement, taxi companies and community stakeholder groups," said St. John's Deputy Mayor Ron Ellsworth in a statement to CBC News.

Ellsworthhas asked the provincial government to amend the licence cab drivers are required to have to add a component of background screening. However, the province says it has no plans to put in such measures.

"The ability to enforce the new requirement is critical to ensuring compliance and safety for the industry. We would like to explore options with the province and RNC to achieve this," Ellsworth said.

Most N.L. towns do not require criminal background checks

He said the city is looking at how other jurisdictions police the industry.

Meetings are scheduled with the province, members of the taxi industry, police and community groups.

Unlike some other Atlantic Canadian cities, St. John's does not require potential taxi drivers to provide criminal background checks.

Instead, the onus falls on individual taxi companies to ensure their drivers provide background checks.

While Ellsworth has asked for the province to play a larger role in the industry, Service NL Minister Eddie Joyce told CBC News in late November that St. John's already has the power to regulate drivers within the city.

Further, Joyce said the city could request greater regulatory powers if it wanted.

Like St. John's, there are no stipulations in place in Corner Brook, Grand Falls-Windsor or Mount Pearl for individual drivers to provide background checks.

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The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, however, does require that taxi applicants provide a vulnerable sector check and letter of conduct from theRCMP.

Ellsworthsaid an update will be provided in March to determine how best to regulate the industry.