He heard the cab pull up, then drive away. B.C.’s Human Rights Tribunal says it’s discrimination

The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal (HRT) has ruled that Yellow Cab Victoria discriminated against a blind Vancouver Island man when it denied him service because of his guide dog.

The incident happened in December, 2016 when Oriano Belusic and his wife, who is also visually impaired, called a cab to get home from a friend’s house.

The couple were waiting outside in the rain with the dog when they got an automated call to say the cab had arrived.

They then heard a car drive up, then drive away.

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“The driver accepted the request for taxi service and later asked dispatch to cancel it because he does not like dogs and simply did not want the dog in his car on that occasion,” states the HRT ruling.

“When later asked about why he cancelled the fare, the driver lied and said that he had to pick up his son.”

The company later apologized, and disciplined the driver.

The ruling found the action was discriminatory, and noted that refusing to pick up the Belusics was even against Yellow Cab’s own guide dog policy.

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The tribunal ordered Yellow Cab Victoria to pay Belusic $1,000 in expenses and a further $7,500 as damages for injury to dignity, feelings and self respect.

“Mr. Belusic felt publicly humiliated and terrible about being treated as a second‐class citizen,” it ruled. “He gave evidence that the most harmful outcome of this, and other previous taxi service denials, has been the anxiety he experiences every time he calls for a taxi.”

The company has also been ordered to affix a visible label to all of its cabs stating that the fleet is guide dog friendly.

Victoria Nolan, a spokesperson for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, said it is ridiculous that some people still need to be reminded that such behaviour is not okay.

“It’s been a law for such a long time and so many people still don’t know about it. I feel like it’s almost like putting on a sticker saying, ‘I follow the speed limit.'”

She said discriminatory pass-ups are far more common than most people would think.