SPC to discuss taxi, animal bylaws

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on October 11, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The Community Safety Standing Policy Committee of Lethbridge city council on Thursday will hear a recommendation that council give first reading to a bylaw that will deregulate taxi fares here.
The amendment to Licence Bylaw 5658 also will remove the requirement for a taxi top light if approved.
Taxi regulations were addressed previously at several SPC meetings. On March 9, the SCP recommended that council amend the bylaw in two ways:
• That the regulated fares and charges for operation of taxi operators as well as any device associated with the fares and charges be removed.
• That the requirement for a taxi to be equipped with a top light be removed. Administration was also directed to prepare an amending bylaw to capture those changes.
A report by Regulatory Services general manager Duane Ens says that last December City administration had engagements with eight of 10 taxi companies operating in Lethbridge to get feedback after a a public submission that was made on Sept. 8 of 2022.
Ens on Thursday will also present a report on a review of the City’s animal bylaw.
His report says the dog control bylaw is almost 20 years old and needs revamping to reflect public needs, current practices and housekeeping issues.
The report says Administration has been working with the director of Community Animal Services Care and Control “to ensure a continued level of service, where current and future practices are being reviewed while developing a modernized all-encompassing Animal Control Bylaw.”
The SPC will be asked that it recommend council direct the city manager or administration to provide an amalgamated, modernized draft animal control bylaw to repeal and replace several bylaws – dog control bylaw 5235, Wild And Domestic Animal Control Bylaw 3383 and Pigeon Bylaw 2609 and include draft provisions for the regulation of cats by the third quarter of 2024.
Planned engagement for the animal bylaw review includes the Community Conversation event scheduled for Oct. 23, a City website survey, other survey results collected at the animal shelter and feedback from the animal welfare committee.
The existing dog control bylaw was passed in 2004 and was based on best practices at the time, says Ens’ report.
A new animal control bylaw will expand regulations to cats, provide updates to strengthen existing bylaw provisions, add more enforcement measures and include amendments to increase or add specified penalties.
The SPC could also recommend to council it make no changes.
The SPC consists of councillor Jenn Schmidt-Rempel (chair), deputy mayor Mark Campbell (vice-chair) and councillors Ryan Parker and Nick Paladino.

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