City prepares for Uber

Chroniclejournal.ca
Oct. 21, 2015
By Jeff Labine

A new taxi bylaw is aimed at making sure Thunder Bay will be ready if a ride-sharing company like Uber starts up.

The City of Thunder Bay is currently shifting the responsibilities of managing taxi services from the Thunder Bay Police Service and is developing a bylaw to help with the transition. A component of the bylaw will address ride-sharing companies like Uber that operates using smartphone technology that pairs a person’s GPS location with a nearby taxi and private car.

Red River Coun. Brian McKinnon, who is on the taxi sub-committee, has been busy writing the bylaw and said there will be substantial changes.

During a Thunder Bay Police Services Board meeting, McKinnon mentioned that they want to take an active role when it comes to ride-sharing and not be reactive like other cities.

“I’m quite sure our document is going to address things like Uber,” he said. “We don’t know if they will come into Thunder Bay but what we want to be sure of is that we have language to address what it is that they do. The public has to be protected because there’s all kinds of things that could happen if you get into a private citizen’s car, which is what essentially Uber taxi is.”

McKinnon said their bylaw isn’t intended to protect taxi companies, who have been vocal against Uber in other parts of the country. He said their intent is to ensure that everyone is protected.

He explained that it all comes back to protecting the passenger.

“Not only protecting health and safety but things like fares and competition is where it is at,” he added. “If we can create a level playing field for all of the components, all the people who want to be players, then I think we have addressed some of the very great concerns that we have been hearing the last couple of years.”

The next meeting to discuss the bylaw is scheduled for Oct. 28 where a first draft is expected to be presented.