Tory buries Uber, Hydro One motions
Toronto Sun May 27, 2015 Don Peat
TORONTO – Mayor John Tory made no apologies Tuesday for burying two motions — one aimed at banning Uber on city cellphones and one slamming the sell-off of Hydro One.
TTC’s Environmental Project Report now available for public viewing
Hopes of stopping the Toronto Transit Commission’s McNicoll Bus Garage – what little there is of it – now rest with the province.
Exhibition Place charging EX-tra for special event parking
Attendees of special events at Exhibition Place will have to dig a little deeper into their pockets if they want to park on the grounds.
Effective May 23 Exhibition Place raised its special events parking fee for select events with high demand to $30 from $25.
Toronto Montessori School’s 15th Anniversary Gala
Bayview Golf & Country Club (25 Fairway Heights Drive, Thornhill)
Toronto Star May 21. 2015 Ben Spurr
In a move that could have ramifications for the ongoing regulatory battle between Uber and the City of Toronto, police have arrested one of the popular ride-booking app’s drivers for allegedly sexually assaulting a female passenger in Vaughan.
Women were picked up from Toronto nightclub
Women were picked up from Toronto nightclub
Toronto Sun May 20, 2015 Jenny Yuen
A Mississauga man driving an Uber private car has been accused of sexually assaulting a female passenger over the weekend.
York Regional Police said a driver picked up three women after midnight Sunday at a Toronto nightclub and transported them to their homes in York Region.
When it came time to drop off the final passenger in Vaughan around 3 a.m., the woman was advised she had to pay in cash or by other means, police said.
“It was alluded to, but there wasn’t any mention of a specific sexual act,” Const. Andy Pattenden alleged Wednesday. “It was enough to cause her to be concerned.”
When the victim felt uncomfortable and asked the driver to stop the car and let her out, the driver also got out of the vehicle, according to investigators. The woman was then sexually assaulted, police said.
Osamah Al-Mandalawi, 25, faces one count of sexual assault. He is scheduled to appear in Newmarket court on June 4.
Pattenden said police are not “putting out an opinion” whether licensed cabs or private cars are safer.
“We’ve had cases in the past where we’ve had sexual assaults from cab drivers, bus drivers,” he said. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time, at least in Vaughan, that there’s been a report of this happening with an Uber driver. Be aware of your surroundings, travel in groups, these people did the right thing. Definitely come forward and contact police.”
Uber Canada said its drivers must pass background checks that “include federal, provincial and local records, surpassing Toronto taxi and limo requirements.”
The driver’s name, photo, licence plate number and car make and model appear during a reservation on a smartphone.
“This is a disturbing incident, and upon hearing of these reports, we immediately removed the driver in question from the Uber platform,” said Uber Canada spokesman Susie Heath. “We have been in touch with York Regional Police and will continue to assist in any way we can.”
Uber has been a controversial issue at Toronto City Hall and is expected to come up again next week.
A request from Councillor Jim Karygiannis to ban the Uber app from city-issued phones goes to the executive committee on Tuesday.
Karygiannis also wants council to order city officials to determine “the best way to communicate with all employees the risks associated with using unlicensed and uninsured bandit taxi services during working hours.”
Earlier this month, Co-op Cabs launched its #ChooseTaxi campaign, warning people of the safety risks of riding in an UberX car.
“One of the big things we’re learning about the nightclubs in Toronto is they’re teaming up with Uber and lining these cars up on the street and a lot of young women or men simply get in and they’re under the assumption they’re with an Uber driver,” said Co-op spokesman Alex Pierson. “But you’re getting into an unmarked vehicle, so you don’t really know. It shows that you have to know the car you’re getting into.”
The City of Toronto doesn’t want its employees to use the popular app Uber on company smartphones.
In a motion filed by Coun. Jim Karygiannis and seconded by Coun. Glenn De Baeremaeker, Toronto is recommending the GPS-enabled app be removed from approximately 12,000 smartphones that have been issued to city employees.
Cab drivers block traffic around City Hall in Uber protest
Toronto Sun May 14, 2015 Don Peat
TORONTO – More than 100 taxi drivers parked their cars around City Hall on Thursday.
The two-hour middday protest snarled traffic on Bay and Queen Sts. and representatives of the drivers warned there will be more protests in the coming weeks.
Council voted to recognize the Armenian genocide
…. Despite objections from Mammoliti and members of the Turkish community in the public gallery, council voted to recognize the Armenian genocide, at the request of new Councillor Jim Karygiannis. Though Karygiannis and Mammoliti are newfound council allies, there were no words exchanged over the unusual break in allegiances…..
Banning Uber app on city-owned phones on agenda as council resumes meeting
CP24.com May 6, 2015 Chris Fox
A motion to ban city employees from downloading the Uber app to their work phone and an Ombudsman report that raises serious questions about the conduct of city hall security during Rob Ford’s mayoral tenure are both on the agenda today as city council wraps up a two-day meeting.
