Uber asks users to lobby the Alberta Government

630ched.com
Feb. 16, 2016
By Mark Woolven

Uber has sent out an e-mail blast asking for their riders to lean on the provincial government to craft policies to allow for ride-sharing insurance and licensing.

In January Edmonton City Council passed new regulations allowing ride-sharing companies like Uber to operate legally. In a release Uber’s Jean-Christophe de Le Rue says if the province doesn’t have insurance and licensing regulation in place, Uber won’t be able operate when the civic bylaw comes into effect on March first.

Mayor Don Iveson says the ball is in the province’s court now, and the city won’t be applying pressure.

“I think it’s between Uber and anybody else who wants to operate private transportation provider operation in the city of Edmonton to lobby the provincial government around that.”

The mayor also points out a curious difference between the status of ride sharing legislation in Ontario and Alberta.

“I will note it’s ironic, though, that in Ontario there’s legal insurance but no municipal regulatory framework and here we have municipal regulatory framework and no legal insurance. Ontario has shown us it can be done, and it’s ultimately in the consumer’s interest and the public safety interest to have this resolved in a timely fashion.”

The press secretary to the Minister of Transportation says the province is, “committed to finding an appropriate solution,” and that, “Government is currently looking at options,” but cannot provide a firm timeline as to when that work will be done.