‘It’s a step forward’: Edmonton council sends ride-sharing issue back to administration

Globalnews.ca
Nov. 17, 2015
By Slav Kornik and Emily Mertz

View video link: http://globalnews.ca/news/2344296/edmonton-council-could-pass-canadas-first-ride-sharing-bylaw/

City council did not make a new vehicle-for-hire bylaw law Tuesday, but the contentious issue did pass first reading.

Mayor Don Iveson said he didn’t feel the bylaw was ready, but said council’s decision was a step forward.

“Whether they’re active and participating in the cabbie industry, whether they’re Uber drivers, or whether they’re citizens who are interested in having more choices ... we’ve had a lot of feedback on this and a lot rests on council’s decision,” said Mayor Don Iveson.

“How exactly we reconcile some of the challenges around: are we going to have minimum pricing for private transportation providers? We weren’t going to settle that today. We’ve asked administration to do some more work on that,” Iveson said.

During Tuesday’s discussion, council members talked about potential minimum fares for ride-sharing companies, altering the fee structure for private transportation providers and insurance.

“Trying to negotiate that here, through this process, doesn’t make sense. So we passed first reading and we’ve sent the bylaw back with some instructions to bring forward options for council to consider,” said the mayor.

City council referred the bylaw back to administration. A report addressing those issues and the question of insurance will come back to council on Jan. 26.

The mayor said, until the new year, he continues to caution people that, as far as the city understands, the current insurance for ride-sharing providers is inadequate.

“I think today actually really just shows how much of a mess this proposed bylaw is,” said Pascal Ryffel, a spokesperson for Driving for Equality Campaign, Alberta Taxi Group.

Uber had a different take.

“We are pleased with today’s decision from Edmonton City Council and we will continue to work with municipal officials,” said Ramit Kar, general manager for Uber Alberta. “More time is needed for city staff to study the evolving for-hire transportation industry and more work is required to develop smart regulations for ride-sharing in Edmonton.

“We will continue to communicate with council how eager we are for regulatory oversight that embraces ride-sharing. We are deeply interested in being regulated here in Edmonton as we already are in close to 70 jurisdictions in North America.”

Security was heightened at City Hall Tuesday ahead and during the council meeting. At a previous meeting, taxi drivers shouted, banged on council chamber walls and some even took their shirts off in protest.

Both Uber and Edmonton taxi drivers were seeking amendments to the proposed draft bylaw.

Edmonton’s new draft bylaw would create a special class of licence for private transportation providers like Uber, very similar to taxi drivers. It would require Uber drivers to have a city licence, undergo a criminal record check, have their vehicle inspected annually and pay for commercial insurance.

The fee structure would shift costs from ride-sharing drivers to ride-sharing companies, which Uber claimed would make its business unsustainable in the city.

The ride-sharing company said several amendments need to be made to avoid a forced shutdown. The taxi industry also remains leery of the proposed bylaw, citing concerns about safety for the public and drivers. Also at issue: the number of drivers able to operate within city limits.

If Edmonton passes a vehicle-for-hire bylaw that incorporates ride-sharing companies it would be the first in Canada to set such rules.