Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ride sharing in BC delayed to Fall 2018

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British Columbians looking for a definitive result on ride sharing within the province will have to wait until the new year.

The Government of British Columbia has announced the hiring of Dan Hara, an industry expert to consult with and prepare the taxi industry for a ride sharing solution.

Hara brings over 21 years of experience to the table, and has worked with the city of Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Edmonton, as well as smaller Canadian cities such as Sudbury and Halifax.

“People want more options for getting around quickly, safely, and affordably, including ride-sharing,” Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Claire Trevena, said in a statement earlier this week.

“That’s why we hired industry expert Dan Hara to help us deliver a made-in-B.C. approach to ride-sharing that will keep people safe, and work for all regions of the province.”

The report is expected to be complete by early 2018, while the legislative changes should take place in Fall 2018.

Green Party “disappointed” with decision

The delay does not come without impatience, however, as the BC Green Party leader, Andrew Weaver, said he was “very disappointed that the government will not keep its promise to bring ride sharing to British Columbians by the end of this year.”

During the provincial election, both Liberal and NDP parties had made promises about the issue – specifically for it to be resolved in 2017.

“We all said we’d do it [pass the ride share bill],” Weaver said in an interview. “The last thing we need to do is study it again, because Vancouver has already commissioned a report, and my understanding is it was by the same person.”

“If you want to be recognized as a tech innovator, you have to be willing to embrace tech innovation…It’s about embracing the 21st century.”

On Thursday, Weaver will once again introduce a private members’ bill to get ride-sharing on B.C.’s roads quicker.

 

Jeremy Weeres
Jeremy Weeres
Victoria Royals and hockey writer at Victoria Buzz

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