By paNOW

VIDEO: Prince Albert bans taxis from liquor store drive thrus

May 13, 2014 | 1:12 AM

By a narrow margin, Prince Albert’s city council voted to ban taxicabs from using the drive thrus of off-sale liquor establishments.

Members of council approved amending the city’s taxicab bylaw, which will also prohibit the owner of the taxicab to allow the vehicle from being driven through an off-sale drive thru liquor outlet. The cab drivers will no longer be allowed to operate their vehicle at any time at an off-sale’s drive thru.

Mayor Greg Dionne initially called for the ban in council after speaking with taxicab operators and drivers. They had told him of their ongoing concerns about the safety of drivers who refused to carry fares who were under-age or prohibited from purchasing liquor through these drive thrus.

The director of the company that owns the National Hotel, which operates one of the city’s two off-sale liquor drive thrus, slammed Dionne for how he’s handled the situation, calling it “very inappropriate.” Rahim Basaria of Doulat Enterprises said if the bylaw were about safety, it should put cameras in taxicabs.

“It would be solving the two problems, not only one,” Basaria said. The cameras would record abuse of drivers, and it would also prevent drivers from participating in any sort of “bootlegging” activity, according to Basaria.

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But he also argued that the ban would hurt his business.

“We have more than 2,000 taxis … coming in a month, and we’re going to be hurt the business,” he said, and added that it will also be unfair to people with disabilities.

Basaria also pointed to the work the National Hotel’s ownership has done to clean up the surrounding area after purchasing the business. He said they better lit the area, installed cameras and have been offering “24/7” assistance to the police.

He said they are doing their job very professionally, and since taking over the business, the National Hotel hasn’t been fined for violations. “We are not serving to the drivers, we are serving to the passengers.”

But as Coun. Ted Zurakowski threw his support behind the bylaw change, he said it was more than just safety.

Zurakowski, a school teacher, said he asked high school students how they get their alcohol – under age – they told him one of those ways is via a taxi.

“And so, to me, hearing those stories, this is an easy decision for me. And I think it’s a step in the right direction. It’s not the end, you know, if safety continues to be an issue, then we can take a look at what we can do with that. Under the category of alcohol in our community, I think this is a step forward.”

After the meeting, Dionne applauded the National Hotel’s owner for cleaning up the area, but expressed surprise that the vote was as close as it was.

“It’s about [the] safety of the taxi companies. And you didn’t see any of them here complaining tonight.” He said the companies have called the amendment “fantastic.”

“So I’m kind of concerned that one of our corporate citizens, the owner of the National Hotel would be waving off the safety of other people in his own interest, and that’s the only comment I have.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames