National

Ride-Hailing Not Coming To British Columbia Until Fall Of 2019

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 19 Jul, 2018 01:05 PM

VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government says it will ease into allowing ride-hailing services in the province, laying the groundwork for the new rides to enter the market as early as the fall of 2019.

In the meantime, Transport Minister Claire Trevena says it will increase the number of taxis on the streets to help people get a safe ride and allow for flexible fares for existing taxi firms that arrange rides using apps.

Do You Want Ride-Hailing Services Like Uber In Metro Vancouver And BC?
— Darpan Magazine (@darpanmagazine) July 19, 2018

Allowing services such as Uber and Lyft into the province by the end of 2017 was a promise by the NDP government during the last election, but Trevena would not commit to a new deadline during a news conference today.

Do You Want Ride-Hailing Services Like Uber In Metro Vancouver And BC?
Posted by Darpan Magazine on Thursday, 19 July 2018

This is what the NDP said about ridesharing before forming government. Reporters are asking about what the timeline is now; and are being told the legislation is coming this fall. No timeline. pic.twitter.com/GTOGRNs4DQ
— CTV Bhinder Sajan (@BhinderSajan) July 19, 2018

Ride-hailing companies have been lobbying to enter the B.C. market, and now the government says it expects applications from firms to be submitted to the Passenger Transportation Board by September 2019.

What confuses me is this. The government is more concerned about the safety of a passenger or driver in an Uber than they are the safety of someone waiting an hour for a cab on Granville at 1AM. #bcpoli
— Richard Zussman (@richardzussman) July 19, 2018

Trevena's media scrum was very bizarre. She won't answer multiple questions about whether ride-hailing will be in BC by 2018. Doesn't repeat the exact sentence in the press release that says service by 'fall 2019'. #bcpoli
— Richard Zussman (@richardzussman) July 19, 2018

The B.C. Liberals did not deliver ride-hailing. But they did have framework legislation that would have seen Uber and Lyft on the road in fall 2017. That included money for a new app for cab companies and getting rid of the regional cab designations. #bcpoli
— Richard Zussman (@richardzussman) July 19, 2018

The government hired expert Dan Hara to consult with the industry and stakeholders and his report along with recommendations from an all-party legislative committee will be used to modernize the Passenger Transportation Act.

I can't remember the last time I've watched a minister spend 15 minutes standing in front of reporters ducking, dodging, sidestepping and refusing to repeat out loud what their own press release says. https://t.co/lG3rRgGgHh
— Rob Shaw (@robshaw_vansun) July 19, 2018

Hara's report says there should be 300 more cabs in Metro Vancouver and another 200 around the province.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Canada Faces Mounting Pressure To End Safe Third Country Agreement With U.S.

Efrat Arbel is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia and was lead investigator on a Harvard Law School examination of the agreement in 2013.

Canada Faces Mounting Pressure To End Safe Third Country Agreement With U.S.

More Than 1,000 Charges Laid Against 75 People After Toronto Police Raids

TORONTO — Police forces in Ontario say a sweeping raid on a Toronto-based gang has resulted in more than a thousand charges being laid against 75 people.

More Than 1,000 Charges Laid Against 75 People After Toronto Police Raids

300 Academics Urge Trudeau To Condemn Israeli Violence Against Gazans

Two Liberal MPs — Robert-Falcon Ouellette and Marwan Tabbara — hand-delivered the letter to Trudeau on Wednesday. It bears a multitude of signatures from Canadian university professors and denounces the violence at the border between Israel and Gaza.

300 Academics Urge Trudeau To Condemn Israeli Violence Against Gazans

Possibly Lightning-Caused Fire Burns Within Metres Of Homes In Kamloops, B.C.

Residents in a Kamloops, B.C., neighbourhood were forced to flee Thursday evening as a grass fire burned within metres of 12 homes.

Possibly Lightning-Caused Fire Burns Within Metres Of Homes In Kamloops, B.C.

'Hot Dog Water' Seller In Vancouver Gets Laughs, Sales With Savvy Marketing

A Vancouver man who sold bottles of "Hot Dog Water" for nearly $40 each says he was trying to see how marketing of health claims backed by supposed science amounts to quick sales.