Whitehorse cabs must offer accessible service for same price

Two years from now, the City of Whitehorse willrequire taxi companies to serve people who use wheelchairs.

The city's vehicle for hire bylaw, updated on Monday,states that byMay 2017"every vehicle-for-hire company shall have a minimum of one accessible vehicle available for hire during all hours the company is in operation."

And they must charge the same price.

Only one company in Whitehorse, Premier Cabs, currently has a wheelchair-accessible taxi vehicle through a subcontractor. The van, which must be booked in advance, has limited hours and chargeshigher rates. The City of Whitehorse also offers a public transit service called HandyBusas well as wheelchair-accessible public buses.

Rick Goodfellow, executive director of Challenge Community Vocational Alternatives, which advocates for people with disabilities, had advocated for change.He says accessibility isahuman rights issue.

"In the winter the bus stops, you can't get to a bus stop to begin with," Goodfellow says.

"Compound that with the fact that you've only got vehicles running during transit hours. What happens if somebody wants to go to a movie? What happens if someone wants to go to the bar with their buddies? They need a ride home at midnight. What about the woman who is being abused or someone who has problems at 2 o'clock in the morning?

"Any public service is supposed to have a level playing field."

Companies can share vehicles

Whitehorse is served by at least six different taxi companies. The new bylaw willallow themto share wheelchair-accessible vehicles.

"That lowers the cost," said Dave Pruden, bylaw manager with the City of Whitehorse.

AnsonZhen, the owner of Victory Cab, says he believes the bylaw comes from good intentions, but says "it's not going to work." He'sskeptical that companies will want to share a vehicle.

"Who is going to pay for the maintenance?Who's in charge of that van?"

Zhen also says hedoes not believe there is enough demand in Whitehorse to justify accessible service around the clock by all companies.

"In [Whitehorse]we only have about 25,000 people. How many people [with disabilities]are we having? We don't have many calls."

Still, he says his company will look for an accessible vehicle.

"I'll probably get a used one just to get around the bylaw."

Whitehorse man died after being stranded

The city's discussion about accessibility and transitcomes after the death of 44-year-old Ronald Dennis Itsi.

The quadriplegic man died December 7, 2014 of complications from a urinary tract infection.

The Yukon coroner's report notes that Itsi was visiting a friend but was unable to find a wheelchair-accessible taxi to bring him back to his continuing care facility on a Sunday night.

At that time, thecity's Handy Busservice was unavailable and regular city buses were not running.

Itsi died overnight at the friend's house.

Chief coronerKirsten Macdonald'sreport notes: "if Mr. Itsi had been able to return to Copper Ridge Place and the nursing staff had identified the symptoms, they would have contacted the physician."

About thewheelchair-accessible cab service in Whitehorse, Macdonald notedits"hours of availability are inconsistent and somewhat unreliable."

Move welcomed by some Yukoners

The bylaw change is being welcomed by somegroups.

SergeMichaudof Special Olympics Yukon says he's pleased the city is moving to ensure greater accessibility.He thinks more people who use wheelchairs will call for a taxiwhen their vehicles aremore accessible.

"It's pretty hard to ask for something when it's not available. Whereas once it's available, I really believe there is going to be a lot of use out of it."

The bylaw does not apply to companies that offer limousines for charter or tourism operators such as scenic tour buses which operate outside city limits.