Uber shifts into election gear with petition campaigning for ride-hailing in B.C.

LeaderPost.com
March 21, 2017
Stephanie Ip

Uber is circulating a petition in hopes of getting the attention of B.C. politicians jockeying for votes as the May provincial election looms.

“With the May 9 election fast approaching, we are calling on all electoral candidates in British Columbia to commit to bringing forward workable regulations that embrace ride-sharing in 2017,” the petition says. “The consultations have occurred, and now is the time for action.”

The petition was launched Tuesday, according to Uber spokeswoman Susie Heath, and emailed to those registered to receive updates from the company.

The petition’s goal was bumped to 30,000, after its initial goal of 10,000 signatures was hit in just a matter of hours.

“By signing the petition, you’ll be doing more than just adding your name to a list — we’ll be sharing the aggregate results with all political parties across B.C. in order to show them how much British Columbians like you want ride-sharing in your community,” the petition email states.

People are being asked to to provide their first and last names, their email, a postal code, and a brief answer as to why they support Uber.

Heath said the company would be providing B.C. political parties the number of supporters who signed the petition, but not their names and contact information.

Earlier this month, Transportation Minister Todd Stone and the B.C. Liberals announced plans to begin establishing framework that will allow Uber, Lyft, and similar homegrown ride-for-hire services to begin operating in B.C. by December 2017.

For those in the taxi industry, the government plans to spend $1 million to develop an app that can compete with Uber, while ICBC will spend $3.5 million to equip taxis with crash-avoidance technology, as well as adapt the insurance system for ride-hailing. Municipal borders will also removed, allowing taxis to move throughout Metro Vancouver.

That announcement came after more than a year of consultations on how to regulate ride-hailing companies without sending the taxi industry into disarray.

Heath said Tuesday’s petition was launched independently, without involvement of the Liberal government.

The B.C. NDP has yet to offer any concrete plans on how it plans to handle Uber’s arrival in B.C., though spokeswoman Jen Holmwood acknowledged change is coming.

“Ride-sharing is coming to B.C. Using technology to improve services is a good thing, but we need to ensure a level playing field that protects good jobs, passengers, and improves service,” she said in an emailed statement.

“We want people to be able to get a ride when and where they need it. While Christy Clark has refused to add more taxis to the road for years, we will work to find a way forward that improves transportation for British Columbians while respecting the small business owners already working in the industry.”

California-based Uber has used petitions before council discussions and votes, both in B.C. and elsewhere, in hopes of influencing the decision.

In the fall of 2015 in Toronto, nearly 25,000 people had signed a petition supporting Uber. Toronto city council went on to vote 32-12 in favour of introducing Uber to the city.

The same year, a B.C. petition was also launched. That petition, which continues to be active and is separate from the election-focused campaign launched Tuesday, has garnered 74,000 signatures.

Uber operates in 40 municipalities in Canada, including Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto. Mostly recently, the company recorded a 25 per cent increase in ride requests on St. Patrick’s Day, compared to the previous Friday.