Red Deer Council passes Vehicle for Hire Bylaw changes

Red Deer City Council passed changes to the Vehicle for Hire Bylaw during the May 27 regular council meeting.  

Council postponed the decision during the April 29 meeting with a request for more information from city administration.  

The bylaw was implemented in 2021 following the introduction of Transportation Network Companies (TNC) and rideshare companies in Red Deer.  

Following a bylaw review and public engagement, city administration recommended changes to the bylaw including eliminating the taxi plate cap, replacing age-based restrictions for vehicles with mechanical inspection restrictions, removing the drop rates for taxis, and simplifying the licensing process.  

Before completely removing the taxi plate cap, council approved adding 15 taxi plates each year for the next three years, and fully removing the cap in the fourth year. 

The city’s rationale for the proposed changes includes creating equity for various Vehicle for Hire types, eliminating the cap on taxi plates creating the opportunity for competition, and ensuring safety is at the forefront.   

“These changes are designed to support our city’s ability to provide reliable transportation options for residents and visitors,” said Amy Fengstad, Parking and Licensing Supervisor. “Our goal through this bylaw revision is to balance industry needs and customer priorities.”  

On April 15, Red Deer taxi drivers gathered at City Hall to show their opposition to the bylaw changes.   

Nasim Zekria, a local taxi driver was at the protest, showing his concern for how removing the taxi plate cap could impact drivers in Red Deer.  

“There's too many plates, there's already more than enough,” he said. “We don't want any more plates out because it's going to bring chaos.”