Barrie reviewing taxi bylaws for Uber regulation

Simcoe.com
July 22, 2016
Jenni Dunning  

City staff are spending the summer cruising through Barrie’s taxi bylaw to make way for Uber.

The city’s taxi working group, which is already examining cab and limo regulation, is now adding on where to fit Uber and designated-driver services into the bylaw, according to bylaw services manager Tammy Banting.

Staff is expected to submit a report to the city’s finance committee mid-fall, with any changes taking effect in 2017 at the earliest, Banting said.

“Our job as city representatives is to look at consumer safety,” she said. “More of these ride-sharing programs are coming to light. (We want) to see if we can regulate in some fashion.”

The finance committee also wants to form a separate working group to review short-term home-rental service Airbnb, she added.

For now, city staff and industry representatives are looking at how other municipalities are handling Uber and designated-driving services and what Barrie regulates already that could apply.

“The review that we’re doing is looking at everything,” Banting said.