Saskatoon transportation committee votes unanimously to recommend hike in cab fares

Taxi fares could be going up in Saskatoon after the city’s standing policy committee on transportation unanimously agreed to recommend the increase at its meeting Monday afternoon.

Mark Wilson, licensing and permitting manager, said in order to make sure that fares remain in line with the cost of operating a taxi, administration undertakes an annual taxi cost index review.

It takes into consideration license costs, insurance fees, vehicle maintenance and fuel.

The findings of the review were then presented to local stakeholders. They then requested an increase to the metre fare rate. The changes to bylaws that are now being recommended for the city solicitor include the following:

1) Reducing the distance covered by the minimum base fee of $3.75 (referred to as the drop rate) from 130 to 125 metres

2) Increasing the distance rate from $0.25 per 130 metres to $0.27 per 125 metres.

Wilson says the increases are not out of line with other cities.

“Applying the taxi cost index increase amount to a five-kilometre trip is consistent with the approach taken in 2016 when taxi fares were last increased.”

For a five-kilometre trip, the cost would go from the current $13.75 to $14.28, a 7.8 per cent hike. According to the city’s municipal scan of cab fares across the country, it would put Saskatoon behind Lethbridge, Alberta and Kelowna, B.C. as the third-highest fare in the country for a comparable trip, not including any wait time rates.

City council must still give its approval. If it does, the fare increases would take effect Oct. 5, 2020.