Whitehorse man behind safe ride home initiative charged with harassment, uttering death threats

A Whitehorse man behind the proposed "Magic Cool Bus" safe ride program has been charged with criminal harassment and uttering death threats.

Daniel MacKenzie was granted bail in Yukon Territorial Court on Thursday, after being in custody since his arrest over the weekend.

Justice of the Peace Sharman Morrison agreed to a list of bail conditions submitted by the Crown and defence lawyers. Among them, MacKenzie must live at his father's residence and follow a curfew, and he also has to take "reasonable steps" to maintain his mental health so he does not endanger himself or others. He also cannot visit any Yukon Government or City of Whitehorse facilities without an appointment.

MacKenzie is the founder of the Free the Beat Foundation. Prior to his arrest, he had been lobbying the city to support his "Magic Cool Bus" initiative, which he said would offer people rides home in a school bus as an alternative to using taxis.

In a November news release, the city publicly distanced itself from MacKenzie and the Free the Beat Foundation, writing that he hadn't met the regulatory requirements needed to run the ride-home program, and the safety of the city's residents was of the "utmost importance."