VICTORIA – After much delay, the BC government finally gave go ahead to the ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft while the Indo-Canadian owned Kater ridesharing service was denied a license and will not be able to operate.
Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, announced the decision of
the independent Passenger Transportation Board in giving the go ahead to ride-hailing companies. Her NDP government was under tremendous pressure from the public and the Opposition BC Liberals to give the go ahead despite continued push by the taxi industry to stall.
“British Columbians have been asking for new ride hailing services since 2012, but the old government failed to get it done. Our government did the hard work and delivered,” Trevena said.
“Over the last two years, our government has been diligent in developing a framework that puts passenger safety first, and we remained steadfast against pressures to abandon the safety measures we put in place. Road users can now be confident that B.C.’s ride-hailing services will comply with some of the highest safety standards in North America.
“Since September 2019, the Passenger Transportation Board has been reviewing applications from 29 ride-hail companies and submissions from stakeholders. In the board’s decisions, it has committed to closely monitoring fleet sizes and minimum pricing to avoid potential impacts on traffic congestion and to ensure adequate incomes for drivers.
“Our government is committed to work with both the ride-hail and taxi industries to address outstanding areas in the coming months and futures issues as they arise. We will continue to support a passenger transportation industry that gets people safely where they need to go and ensures sustainable livelihoods for drivers.”
The BC Federation of Labour (BCFED) also responded to the issuing of licenses to Uber and Lyft, emphasizing that ride-hailing companies must comply with BC’s labour laws and ensure drivers have minimum labour protections under the Employment Standards Act.
“People want safe, accessible transit options. But they also want to know that the workers providing their transit are treated fairly,” said Laird Cronk, President of the BCFED. “When companies misclassify workers as independent contractors rather than employees, workers lose access to basic employment rights, like the ability to unionize, access to minimum wage, vacation pay and WCB coverage in the event of a workplace injury.”
Surrey Mayor Doug “paaji” McCallum was still unhappy with the approval and stayed the course of disapproval for the ridesharing services.
“The approval of ride hailing companies in Metro Vancouver by the Passenger Transportation Board does not change my position on this issue. What continues to be my chief concern is the unfair advantage that has been created without any regard as to how it will impact those who are employed in the taxi industry. It is no secret that a large percentage of cab drivers live in Surrey and the modest wages they earn go to support their families. As residents and as my constituents, it is my duty to do what I can to ensure that these jobs are not lost due to an unfair advantage that has been arbitrarily put in place,” McCallumm said in a press release Friday.
“The taxi industry meets the needs of all its passengers by having vehicles for hire that can accommodate people of all abilities. Until I am assured that a level playing field is established, I will not be supporting the issuing of ride hailing business licenses and, if there is a need, I will be asking for an increase in taxi licenses for operation in Surrey. I look forward to hearing about how the region will work with the province to ensure there is fair competition in the marketplace between ride hailing companies and the taxi industry.”
Quick Facts About Ridesharing Process:
* In fall 2018, the provincial government passed the Passenger Transportation Amendment Act permitting ride-hailing companies to apply to the Passenger Transportation Board to enter the B.C. market in a way that protects passenger safety.
* Subsequent regulations require ride-hail drivers to hold a Class 4 driver’s licence and undergo a vulnerable sector check – the most stringent type of police information check.
* On Dec. 12, 2019, the TransLink Mayor’s Council endorsed an inter-municipal business licence in order to have ride-hailing companies obtain a single licence to be able to operate across Metro Vancouver.
* Government is committed to working with both ride-hail and taxi companies to address concerns moving forward.
