The Toronto International Film Festival has closed up shop for another year, and at least one local industry, the city's limousine drivers, is happy to see it go. Not, as you'd think, because they're inundated with calls to cart around the stars. Quite the opposite: limo outfits say the fleets of courtesy vehicles driven in for TIFF by vehicle sponsors eat up business—and because of a city loophole, are skirting licensing standards to do it.

Toronto limo companies say that since TIFF's fleet of courtesy cars isn’t subject to the same rules as limos and taxis, just about anyone could be behind the wheel of the SUV taking George Clooney to his next soirée.

According to Craig McCutcheon, past president of the Ontario Limousine Owners Association, the festival’s courtesy fleet doesn’t fall under commercial vehicle regulations because its drivers don’t charge their passengers for the rides. That means they aren’t subject to the city’s licensing standards, which normally include background checks and proof of good driving records.

“Most drivers have to go through two city inspections a year, a stringent mechanical inspection, licensing fees, criminal background checks and a training course,” he said, referring to a mix of voluntary and mandatory hurdles that many limo companies’ drivers must pass. “They [vehicle sponsors] don’t have professionals that are driving some of the cream-of-the-crop stars who are out there.”

In email sent to OpenFile, TIFF appeared to deny that claim.

“The Toronto International Film Festival appreciates the opportunity to provide livery service to filmmakers and talent on the day of a film's premiere,” said Jennifer Bell, vice-president of communications and content management. “The vehicles in our Stars in Cars programme are driven by fully licensed and bonded limousine drivers.”

TIFF did not immediately respond to questions about whether the Stars in Cars programme encompasses the entire fleet of courtesy vehicles.

As a major festival sponsor and “the official ride of the Toronto International Film Festival,” GM-owned Cadillac has provided a fleet of CTS coupes, SRX crossover vehicles and Escalade SUVs, according to a press release the company sent OpenFile. Cadillac did not respond to questions about how many cars are in use or who its drivers are, but McCutcheon estimates it at about 30 vehicles this year.

While 30 cars might not seem like that many, they are constantly on the road throughout the festival and take a big bite into local limo operators’ business, he said. Until about five years ago, according to McCutcheon, the same companies did swift business during TIFF. Since then, vehicle sponsorships have become an increasing part of the festival.

“In the last five years all of our vehicles are parked,” he said. “It’s really taking away from the people who are here 365 days a year doing the right thing and servicing the public.

“The issue is that (limos) are regulated vehicles... and somebody can just come in and flood the city with extra vehicles when they feel like it and leave us on the side.”

The municipal bylaw governing limousines states each company must have at least one stretch limo, and limits the number of sedans one can have without the purchase of an additional stretch. Last amended in 2006, the law was designed to prevent “fly-by-night” luxury car owners from throwing up a short-term shingle in the limousine business, says city manager of licensing enforcement Richard Mucha.

“The thinking to that was that the limousine business is a different business from a taxi service,” he told OpenFile. “You have to be serious in entering the business. They didn’t want fly-by-nighters to come in with a luxury vehicle, do work on a short term basis, and leave.”

By the same logic, there are no short term limousine licenses available in Toronto, making it impossible for a local company to temporarily beef up its fleet for an event like TIFF. Mucha admits it’s a barrier for companies who’d like to cash in on such events but don’t want the extra capacity for the full year.

“If you operate (a limousine) for one day or 365 days, you are in need of (the same) license,” he said.

McCutcheon says he’s been bringing up the issue at city hall for years, and jokes that if he were a less toward businessman, he’d start a year-round limo service using the TIFF model.

“Why should I go through all the licensing rigamaroo when I could just charge (customers) a membership and then drive them around for free?” he asks. “It’s a strange little loophole.”