Ottawa Taxi Fares Could Rise By 10% For The First Time in 12 Years
Here's how much more it could cost you.
Capital Taxi cab near Parliament Hill.
Fasten your seat belts! Ottawa taxi fares could see an increase of 10% on June 11 for the first time in 12 years.
The flat rate for a cab ride would jump from $3.45 to $3.80 and 18 cents for every additional 86 metres.
A 15-kilometre trip in June could cost $3.80 more than a trip today, increasing from $31.08 to $34.88. But how does that compare to other ride services in the region?
An Uber ride of a similar distance taken during an early weekday afternoon could cost you around $15 less, costing around $20. With Lyft, the same trip is estimated to cost $25 to $30.
Ottawa’s taxi fare change could also make a 15-kilometre cab ride $4.66 more expensive than Toronto's proposed fare rates at $30.22.
A City of Ottawa staff report, introduced on May 6, says taxi operation costs have increased by 20% in the last two years.
The report goes on to say that taxi companies have financially struggled to cover at least $3 million more in insurance costs. In 2016, the mandatory commercial general liability insurance policy was increased from $2 million to $5 million.
Staff say that change has made it especially difficult for taxi companies to provide service in Ottawa.
Ottawa taxi company asks for a $20 charge at Ottawa International Airport
Ottawa taxi company Coventry Connections and union Unifor Local 1688 say that they can no longer keep up with current operational costs. They say soaring fuel and vehicle prices are unmanageable right now.
"Unfortunately, we are no longer able to continue to operate without an increase in revenues, which means a meter increase," reads a letter from representatives of Coventry Connections and Unifor Local 1688.
Ottawa will also discuss changing the general liability insurance requirement to no less than $2 million.
On top of raising fares, Coventry Connections has asked the City of Ottawa to add $20 to trips coming to the Ottawa International Airport. That request was not included in the staff report.
The issue will be further discussed at Ottawa’s Community and Protective Services Committee on May 19 and the city council meeting on May 25.
The last time Ottawa taxi prices were changed was in 2010 when fares went up by 8%.