3,487 taxi plate owners to lose life savings after

N E W S MARCH 20141 co-opcabs.com crowntaxi.com

MARCH 2014

3,487 TAXI PLATE OWNERS TO LOSE LIFE SAVINGS AFTER ADOPTION OF TORONTO TAXI REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONSOn February 19, 2014, Toronto City Council voted to adopt the recommendations of the Municipal Licensing and Standards Committee’s Toronto Taxi Review excluding some key amendments that were put forth by the industry.

This decision will result in drastic changes to the city’s taxi industry, including the requirement for the industry to be 100 per cent wheelchair accessible. The most drastic change; however, is the amalgamation of all plates into a new type of plate called the Toronto Taxicab Licence (TTL), which all plate owners must obtain by 2024.

The creation of the TTL plate renders the existing standard plates virtually worthless, which means owners who invested in buying plates over the past half century have lost in many cases millions of dollars.

“The creation of the TTL is the latest bruise in a series of attacks on small business,” said Peter Zahakos, CEO of the Associated Toronto Taxicab Taxi-Cab Co-operative Limited. “3,487 small business owners just lost their life’s savings and it doesn’t appear that Council has much regard for this fact.

Before the Review the average market value of a taxi plate in Toronto was around $350,000. That number was essentially cut in half overnight and after ten years will be worthless.”

Zahakos cites the many cases of immigrants who came to Toronto for a better life for their families and bought taxi plates as an investment towards that end. There are a number of people he knows who in the last ten years mortgaged their homes to invest in a plate because it was positioned by the city as a solid business opportunity.

“What do they have now?” said Zahakos. “A significantly undervalued asset that offers no chance at a return on investment. For our owners and shareholders, we have all lost; we are a co-operative and this decision is going to hurt this city.”


On February 3 and 4, 2014, Co-op sponsored a film event in Toronto hosted by The Seventh Art.

Co-op Cabs is often called upon by film industry groups and professionals to support events and films in the city.

The event was held to celebrate the work of U.S. director Andrew Bujalski. Two films were screened at the University of Toronto by Bujalski, who was in the city for the event and spoke to guests about the films.

Co-op Cabs provided transportation services for Bujalski throughout his time here in Toronto.

At the event, Bujalski said that, ”I’ve been driven around by Co-op Cabs over the last few days and they know their business. Clean cars and great service all around.”

Co-op was introduced to the organizers through the Director of Dr. Cabbie, a film that uses Co-op Cabs exclusively and that is expected to be released later this year in Toronto.

Members of Co-op Cabs attended the event and en-joyed both films.

WHEEL-TRANS WORK NOW AVAILABLE TO CROWN DRIVERS

CO-OP CABS SUPPORTS TORONTO FILM EVENT

In July 2013, Associated Toronto Taxi-Cab Co-operative Limited (A.T.T.C.L.) (Co-op Cabs) purchased the assets of Crown Taxi Inc. Co-op Cabs has recently received approval from Wheel-Trans to expand its contracted sedan taxicab service by permitting dedicated sedan taxi drivers operating vehicles in Crown Taxi to assist in servicing the Co-op Cabs Wheel-Trans sedan contract.

Co-op Cabs has a contractual obligation to provide training for those individuals providing transportation services under the Wheel-Trans contract. To date, 20 individuals operating in Crown Taxi have successfully completed the Wheel-Trans Sedan Taxi Driver Course.

This is a one-day courseconducted at Co-op CabsHead Office located at 130 Rivalda Road.

For additional information,Crown Taxi drivers interestedin performing Wheel-Transwork should contact A. Mirza,Director of Operations,Crown Taxi, at (416) 750-0224ext #250.


STAFF PROFILE: HEATHER SCHELL

Heather Schell manages Co-op’s business development function and has been with Co-op Cabs for ten years, and in her current position for seven years. Heather has an accumulated twenty-six years of experience in Customer Service with ten years in the taxi Industry.

She works with Co-op’s corporate customers to ensure that they get the best possible service experience. Heather also responds to customer comments and complaints from non-corporate customers and works with Co-op’s public relations team to find opportunities to raise the company’s profile in Toronto.

CROWN TAXI SPONSORS AND PARTICIPATES IN CHEF’S CHALLENGE IN SUPPORT OF MOUNT SINAI HOSPITALCrown Taxi was the official transportation sponsor for a one-of-a-kind event in Toronto on February 8, 2014.

Crown Taxi representatives Bilal Khan (left) and Ahsan Mirza (right) with Giada De Laurentis at the Chef’s Challenge event in Toronto.

Chef’s Challenge® in support of Mount Sinai Hospital, was an exciting event where celebrity chefs challenged each other’s culinary excellence in a cooking competition.

The money raised through Chef’s Challenge® supports care and research in women’s cancers at Mount Sinai including support for women’s cancer research at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute - one of the leading biomedical research facilities in the world.

Funds were also raised to advance the work of the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre -a premiere facility specializing in breast health and disease that helps 33,000 women every year.

Both the Crown and Co-op teams were on hand to support this important initiative.


UPCOMING EVENTS

March 6 - 9, 2014 - Interna-tional Home and Garden Show (North Building)

March 7 - 9, 2014 - Toronto’s ComicCON 2014 (South Building)

March 20, 2014 - Chapaev and Void (North Building)

March 22, 2014 - Thaalam 2014 (North Building)

March 22, 2014 - Canfitpro One Day Event with Tosca Reno (North Building)

March 23, 2014 - Toronto Vintage Clothing Show (North Building)

March 26 - 30, 2014 - Yoga Pi-lates Conference and Show 2014 (North Building)

For all events at the MTCC, visit: www.mtccc.com/attendees/events.aspx

March 8, 2014 - The Manhattan Transfer (Koerner Hall, TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning)

March 9, 2014 - Sing-A-Long Grease (The Rose Theatre)

March 9, 2014 - Billy Joel (Air Canada Centre)

March 11, 2014 - Estrella Morente (Massey Hall)

March 6 - 11, 2014 - The Four Seasons: A Cycle of the Sun (Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, Jeanne Lamon Hall and George Weston Recital Hall)

March 11, 2014 - Rain, Wind, Clouds and Lightning (Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts)

March 12, 2014 - Toronto Raptors vs. Detroit Pistons (Air Canada Centre)

March 12, 2014 - Cheap Trick (Massey Hall)

March 13, 2014 - Arcade Fire (Air Canada Centre)

March 13, 2014 - Opera Interactive (Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts)

March 14, 2014 - Celtic Crossroads (The Rose Theatre)

March 14, 2014 - Keb’ Mo’ (Massey Hall)

March 15, 2014 - Randy Bachman’s Vinyl Tap (Massey Hall)

March 8 - 16, 2014 - Swan Lake (Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts)

March 13 - 16, 2014 - Kalanidhi Fine Arts of Canada (The Harbourfront Centre)

March 16, 2014 - Leslieville Flea Market (Distillery District)

March 17, 2014 - Leigh Anne Tuohy (Roy Thompson Hall)

March 25, 2014 - Nature studies for dancers and musicians (Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts)

March 27, 2014 - Hedley (Air Canada Centre)

For all Tourism Toronto events, visit: www.seetorontonow.com.

NE W S is published and distributed by Associated Toronto Taxi-Cab Co-operative Limited (Co-op Cabs) and Crown Taxi, for the enjoyment of our members, drivers and staff.

If you have any questions, comments or would like to submit an article to the newsletter, please contact: Heather Schell, Supervisor of Business Development 416 504 4016 x243 or by email at [email protected]

3,487 taxi plate owners to lose life savings after

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