I’m sure that we all remember how the gas prices in Toronto just sky rocketed last July. At one point they reached $1.38 per litre. Toronto’s taxi industry lobbied for a fare increase stating that they couldn’t make a living with gas prices so high. In response, the drop fare was increased from $3.00 to $4.00 and the kilometer rate went from 25 cents for every 170 metres to 25 cents for every 155 metres.

Gas prices in Toronto are now at their lowest in years. Are the taxi prices being rolled back to the prices pre the fuel surcharge increase? NO! The Toronto Taxicab Industry Association says that the fares will not be lowered because of rising insurance rates and increased operating costs. The economic downturn is being blamed as the reason that less people take taxis.

Perhaps it’s time that the Toronto Taxicab Industry Association took a closer look at the drivers. Regardless of the prices, people don’t want to take taxis. It’s not the price. It’s the service, or lack thereof. The investigation into the taxi drivers at Union Station is indicative of the situation all over the city.

Did the taxi industry conveniently use the high gas prices as a means to get a fare hike quickly approved? If in truth it was a fuel surcharge increase, then it should be rolled back immediately. That is exactly what WestJet did. In September it eliminated its fuel surcharge. That is the correct and ethical thing to do. However, according to Howard Moscoe, chair of the city’s licensing committee, there are no plans to revisit the taxi surcharge.

Image courtesy Flickr.com

In our zeal to ban plastic bags, have we forgotten the workers in the plastic industry that will lose their jobs? As we spend billions to bail out General Motors and Chrysler who quite frankly don’t deserve a dime of our taxpayers’ money, it is being done in the name of saving jobs for Ontario workers. However, according to Joe Hruska, a spokesman with the Environment and Plastics Industry Council, banning plastic bags will put 10,400 jobs that are tied to plastic bags in Ontario at risk. Approximately half of those jobs are in Toronto. The irony is that the plastic bag companies have made their bags recyclable, so why are we on a crusade to ban recyclable plastic bags and put over 10,000 Ontario jobs in jeopardy?

According to Mr. Hruska, plastic bags make up less than 1% of the total garbage in landfills. He argues that instead of banning plastic bags that the Canadian public needs to be educated about recycling. Plastic bags are recyclable. Garbage cans are more hygienic when lined with plastic bags and plastic bags are very important in food safety.

Without taking any of these factors into account Toronto’s environmental plan is going full steam ahead with measures that include:
•    Grocery and retail stores will begin charging a 5-cent fee for each plastic bag
•    Biodegradable and compostable plastic bags will be banned
•    Retail bags with rope handles or metal grommets will be banned by the end of 2009

Will someone please explain why we are banning recyclable plastic bags and putting over 10,000 Ontario jobs in jeopardy?