We previously posted about how if you invest in a wind turbine on your property, the tax assessor will come by and say "nice turbine, your assessment just went up." Ontario Environment Minister Dwight Duncan agreed that was dumb and appears to be fixing that; but here is another example of local idiocy.

Green Limousine is a Canadian company trying to set up the " first [canadian] limo service to use only fuel-efficient, ultra low-emission hybrid vehicles." They use standard size Priuses (picture is of a stretch LA ecolimo) and have started business in Pickering, a suburb east of Toronto, serving primarily the Airport, west of Toronto. The big space in between is the City of Toronto, where they are not allowed to do business. According to Tyler Hamilton in the Star, "Prius limousines don't comply with size rules under a municipal bylaw, which considers a limo a luxury vehicle that can carry up to five passengers. The bylaw also stipulates that a stretch limo must be provided for every four sedans in a fleet." (rules brought in just two years ago because of endless taxi/limo battles) The Green Limo prez is meeting with Licencing head honcho Howard Moscoe, who says "We have to look at how it will affect the overall structure of the industry. It's like a complicated Swiss watch. If you throw a couple of pieces out, it breaks down." Right. A couple of Priuses are going to bring down the Toronto limo business. We look forward, as usual, to years of discussion. ::The Star