KITCHENER -- Region of Waterloo council is debating whether or not to extend mandatory mask by-laws to the springtime, and whether or not that requirement will expand into taxis and ride-sharing vehicles.

The bylaw that came into effect in mid-June for indoor businesses does not currently include cabs, but that amendment is being considered since physical distancing becomes difficult in the confined space of the vehicle.

"They exempted us which I think was the right thing to do," said Peter Neufeld, president of Waterloo Taxi. "At this point, we need to let people have their own choice."

He adds that he's is concerned about how the region's rules would be implemented when their industry has already seen a dramatic drop in revenue.

"We were down probably to a third of what we were doing," Neufeld said. "We are up now to maybe 60 or 70 per cent on weekdays, some days more.

"I can tell you on the weekend, on holiday Monday, we were down to about a third of what we normally do, so it’s pretty dramatic."

One example he considered is that of a driver travelling 10 kilometres to pick up a customer, only to arrive and find someone who won't wear a mask. The driver is then unable to provide service and loses business.

"Do we say no to the customer after we've already driven there?" said Neufeld. "This would really limit our ability to earn a living."

The president believes his employees shouldn't be forced to wear masks since he's already installed partitions in every car since the pandemic hit. This is a safety protocol not mandatory in the region.

"In grocery stores, you'll see the Plexiglas, but you'll also see people behind the glass wearing masks, sanitizing the belt every time somebody goes through, and letting people pack their own groceries," said Region of Waterloo Chair Karen Redman.

The owner of United Taxi says hes in favour of mandating masks in cabs and adds that many of his drivers already wear them. However, he's worried about how the rules would be implemented for customers.

Ridesharing apps like Uber would also be included in the expanded bylaw, even though they have been mandating masks since March.

"If a driver reports that a rider did not wear a mask on a ride, on the very next trip the rider will be asked to take a selfied verifying that they're wearing a mask," said Uber spokesperson Kayla Wahaling.

One significant reason for why weekday business has dropped for Waterloo Taxi is because of school runs, a service agreed to by the taxi companies and school boards.

Those services now require masks for students and drivers.