OTTAWA – A City of Ottawa committee is in favour of allocating $1.2 million to help improve accessible transportation in the city.

Following extensive consultation with residents and users of accessible transportation services, the city’s Community and Protective Services committee approved allocating the $1.2-million Vehicle-for-Hire Accessibility Fund to three projects that will improve services to residents, today (March 21). All three were identified as priorities during consultations.

The Accessibility Fund is generated from a voluntary per-trip surcharge paid by licensed private transportation companies like Uber and Lyft. Funding would be provided to:

• Help community agencies expand accessible transportation services in rural areas
• Make accessible taxis more affordable by:
• Reducing taxi-coupon costs by 25 per cent
• Doubling the maximum allowance of taxi-coupon books per customer to eight per month.

As part of their work plan, the Transportation Services Department would develop a mobile app that would let Para Transpo customers track their rides – one of the recommendations that emerged from consultations.

The committee also received an update on the Emergency and Protective Services Department’s use of delegated authority in 2018.

Items from today’s Community and Protective Services committee requiring city council approval will go to Council on Wednesday, March 27.