Ottawa committee to hear feedback on plan to legalize Uber
Special meeting of community and protective services committee starts at 10 a.m. at city hall

cbc.ca
April 7, 2016
By Chloe Fedio

More than 40 people have signed up to weigh in on the City of Ottawa's plan to legalize app-based ride-hailing services such as Uber at a special committee meeting on Thursday.

Councillors on the community and protective services committee will hear from the public before debating the city recommendations unveiled last week at the end of a lengthy taxi bylaw review. They include reducing fees for traditional taxi drivers and introducing regulations for ride-hailing services.

Coun. Diane Deans, who chairs the committee, said last week the plan "takes the handcuffs off" the taxi industry while also responding to the public's demand for "greater choice in their transportation options."

The plan would require all vehicles for hire to have a minimum $5 million of liability insurance, and all drivers to undergo a police check and provide copies of their driving records.

Mayor Jim Watson and Uber Canada have also backed the plan but the head of Ottawa's taxi drivers' union, Amrik Singh, said it would create a "two-tiered system" due to differences in fare models and varying overhead costs.

Accessibility concerns have also been raised, as Uber doesn't currently have wheelchair-accessible vehicles in Ottawa.

Meeting could continue Friday

Some of the people already signed up to speak Thursday include Singh, Uber Canada's Chris Schafer, Bob Brown from the Council of Canadians with Disabilities, head of the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce Ian Faris, head of the Ottawa Gatineau Hotel Association Steve Ball, as well as both taxi drivers and Uber drivers.

People interested in speaking at the meeting can still sign up Thursday morning.

The meeting could continue Friday, as the committee hears presentations and debates the plan.

If approved by the committee, the recommendations will head to council for review and final approval on April 13.

The new regulations could come into effect as early as June 30 if given the green light by council.