Regina residents are set to see the cost of a taxi increase.

Regina’s executive committee approved a taxi fare increase of eight percent.

The increase would see the initial meter drop rate for the first 120 metres increase from $4 to $4.25, the distance rate will change from $0.25 for each additional 138 metres to $0.25 for each additional 127 metres, and the rate for taxicabs hired by the hour will increase from $36 per hour to $39 per hour.

Interm City Manager Jim Nicol said that the discussion with the city’s five taxi brokers started in March, but the brokers originally decided not to move forward with any changes.

However, on June 10, a letter signed by all the brokers was sent to the city administration asking for the increase to now be implemented.

The increase is determined by a taxi cost fare model (TCFM) in the city’s Taxi Bylaw. The model formulates changes based on the consumer price index (CPI).

If approved by council next week, an amended bylaw would come back to council in August to make it official.