Yelo-Cabs in Redcliff, AB - February 20, 2020 (Photo courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Chantal Wagner

Bylaw restrictions

Local cab company hoping for round trips back to Redcliff from Medicine Hat

Feb 20, 2020 | 5:16 PM

Redcliff, AB – Raymond Jolicoeur is a driver for Yelo-Cabs in Redcliff.

He spends his day driving people to their appointments, destinations around town, and even to Medicine Hat.

But trips into Medicine Hat can only be one way.

A city bylaw prohibits his company from picking up Redcliff residents in Medicine Hat and bringing them back to town.

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It’s a law Jolicoeur says his frustrating for him and passengers, “They feel that they should have the right to choose who picks them up and drops them off.”

He says he hears daily from customers upset about the inconvenience and the inability to support local

The owner of Yelo-Cabs Patricia Kolly is frustrated, stressing the impact on their business is about 50-60 percent loss.

She says customers are upset and many can’t afford to take city cabs as they’re on fixed incomes.

“I also do trips to the food bank but I can’t pick up my customers from the food bank and bring them back. So obviously they don’t have money for food they don’t have money for a cab. So the town of Redcliff has provided me with taxi vouchers for them to get into Medicine Hat to the food bank and that,” said Kolly.

She says they were getting complaints from Medicine Hat bylaw during the Christmas party season that they were driving people home, and says it’s been a nightmare since.

Yelo-Cabs then went to the town of Redcliff for help.

Councillor Chris Czember made a motion for administration to negotiate with Medicine Hat on behalf of Yelo-Cabs so they can operate in the city.

“I think it just makes sense that if they can drop off in Medicine Hat to just return to Redcliff with a load. That makes economic sense, gas-saving sense, just common sense,” Czember said.

Redcliff does not have a cab bylaw so city cabs can come to the community and operate business as usual.

Kolly says, “Just if Medicine Hat would allow us a license that’s all we want is just a license to come in and pick up our Redcliff residents and bring them back to Redcliff. We do not want to sit and be parked at the bars or pubs or anything. We just want to look after our people in Redcliff.”

Czember feels once talks with the city begin, common sense will prevail and hopes the city can make bylaw amendments as they see fit.

He says, “To drive from Redcliff to Medicine Hat and then have to go back empty, puts a damper on your profit margin I would imagine.”