Region puts off new taxi bylaw to summer

TheRecord.com
Dec. 8, 2015
Paige Desmond  

The Region of Waterloo is holding off on its draft vehicles for hire bylaw for a couple months to see how other governments handle the Uber controversy.

The licensing and hearings committee decided Tuesday to wait until late January or early February to receive a report from staff on options for a new vehicle for hire bylaw. The original plan was to have a new bylaw in place Jan. 1.

Staff want to continue exploring ideas and see how cities like Toronto and Ottawa handle reviews of their taxi bylaws.

"We would still be pushing ourselves to have a bylaw sometime in the late spring, implemented early summer," said Kris Fletcher, director of council and administrative services.

They also want to see if there is any movement on Bill 131 at the provincial level. It's a private member's bill that seeks in part to regulate transportation companies that operate through a digital network, such as Uber.

The bill passed first and second reading in October.

If approved, the bill would establish what are called transportation network companies. Such companies would hold a licence and be given authority to provide drivers with permits.

That's of interest locally as several politicians have said the province needs to get involved with regulating the ride-hailing industry.

"Municipalities are fighting an uphill battle in terms of trying to regulate this," Coun. Sean Strickland said.

He'll put forward a motion at a council meeting Dec. 16 calling on the province to take the lead.

Wilmot Mayor Les Armstrong said the region's priority needs to be safety.

"My biggest concern here is the safety factor and I think that's what needs to be focused on," he said.

Coun. Geoff Lorentz supported holding off on the bylaw.

"Something changes every day and there's new information," he said.

The region has been trying to find a way to regulate ride-hailing app Uber and similar services after it launched here in July.

The local taxi industry, which opposes the app, has been stepping up pressure.

Fletcher said public opinion collected during consultation for the new bylaw was divided.

"It is fair to say that there appears to be a split in people's opinions with respect to what should and should not be regulated and it does depend on both age as well as whether you are in the taxi industry or not," she said.

The Uber app allows almost anyone with a driver's licence to offer rides-for-hire in their personal vehicle. The app allows people to book, track and pay for a ride with their smartphone.

The Region of Waterloo regulates the taxi industry and a new vehicle-for-hire bylaw to be approved next year is expected to make Uber legal, provided drivers adhere to several safety regulations.

There has been at least one altercation between a taxi driver and an Uber driver and lobbying efforts by the taxi industry to see more charges laid against Uber drivers under the region's current taxi bylaw.

Uber cars are considered illegal taxis under the present rules. There have been 68 infractions by Uber drivers for operating in violation of the taxi bylaw and a total of six charges laid.