Town staff, backed by council and the accessibility advisory committee, are working on a plan to replace the accessible shuttle taxi service that will end next week.
The town announced it received notice from Ace Cabs the company would no longer offer the service as of Oct. 1.
A letter from Ace Cabs stated it is “no longer financially viable” for them to operate the service at a loss, “which has been the case since the town stopped subsidizing the service.”
According to town staff, the town had a five year contract with Ace Cabs that offered a $40,000 subsidy the first year, $20,000 for the second year and no subsidy for the remaining years.
The $60,000 over two years was intended to cover start-up costs, according to town staff.
The contract ended this April.
On-demand, accessible shuttle service was first offered in Collingwood in 2007. The town provided $40,000 per year in subsidy and an accessible vehicle to Ace Cabs (under different ownership at the time) for the service. Ace cancelled the service in 2008, according to information provided by the town.
From 2008 to 2015 the service was operated by Sinton Landmark (now Landmark Bus), with a town-owned vehicle. Ace Cabs took over the contract again in 2015.
Peggy Slama, director of engineering, public works, and environmental services, said town staff understand accessible shuttle service is valuable.
“It’s important for us to offer some form of reliable transportation to our accessible community,” said Slama. “We are trying very hard to fill those needs.”
Slama said town staff “immediately started to consider options” after receiving the notice from Ace Cabs.
Residents have started online petitions calling on the town to reinstate the service.
Margaret Adolphe, chair of Collingwood’s accessibility advisory committee, said the shuttle service prompted “considerable discussion” at the Sept. 17 committee meeting.
“The committee is very disheartened to hear about the loss of this important service,” said Adolphe in an email to CollingwoodToday. “The committee and town staff are committed to exploring all options to make this service available and feasible in the future.”
Last night, Councillor Deb Doherty put forward a motion directing staff to make sure the new plan offered equivalent service to what is available now
“I felt this is a signal from this council as to the priority we place on providing these kinds of services to our residents,” said Doherty. “I felt it was symbolic as well as actionable.”
Council voted in favour of the motion.
Collingwood’s acting chief administrative officer, Sonya Skinner, said even without a motion from council, town staff had already started working toward a plan to replace the service.
“It is required under accessibility legislation that if you provide a service for an able-bodied person, then you have to provide it as an accessible service,” noted Skinner.
Since the town licenses taxis, they are also required to licence accessible taxis.
“Our provision of this service is triggered by our licensing of taxis,” said Skinner. “We’re saying this will be provided for a segment of society so we’re required to provide it for all of society.”
The town is required to work toward the service being provided, but is not required to have a new service in place and operating at 100 per cent by the end of the month when the existing service ends. Skinner and Slama expected there will be a lapse while the town works out a new service.
Staff will bring back a plan to council once they have options ready to pursue.
In the meantime, the town provides a vehicle for a Red Cross transportation service that must be booked in advance for medical appointments. CollTrans buses are accessible and Simcoe County offers the Linx Plus transit service, which is a shared ride system that must be booked seven days in advance.
