Will B.C. have ridesharing by the end of the year?

VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – Ridesharing is still a promise on the horizon in British Columbia, and the NDP says it will happen by Christmas. But the Liberals say there’s no way.

Despite recommendations from an all party committee, there is still disagreement on one main point – the class of license.

Liberal and committee member Stephanie Cadieux says even if the province concedes to recommendations on caps on car numbers and flexible boundaries, heeding the recommendation for a class five license is key.

There is a lot of legislation, regulation and rule changes between where we are and ridesharing, she says, and it depends on what the NDP do next.

“Only if they accept the recommendations and move forward with no cap, no boundaries and class five will you see ridesharing in British Columbia,” she says. “And in our estimation, that’s not even going to be possible with all the delays up until now.”

Transportation Minster Claire Trevena says the government will meet their target.

“The time table that I’m working on and that I’m confident on is that we’ll be ready to take applications late summer, and we’ll have ridehail on people’s phones by the end of the year.”

Cadieux says there’s too much red tape for that timeline to work.

While Trevena says they’ll be flexible with caps on number of cars and boundaries, they are sticking with a class four license for drivers – despite the report saying the basic class five that all drivers in B.C. have is what’s needed.

“Public safety has to be my number one concern as Minister of Transportation and that’s why I want to stay with a class four license,” she says.

Cadieux says class five is a sticking point, and without it Uber and Lyft won’t be able operate.

Uber’s Michael van Hemmen agrees the class of license could be a barrier.

“British Columbians want the same ridesharing service that is available in Toronto, Calgary and Seattle,” he says. “They’ve been waiting for a long time. The four most recent provinces to adopt or introduce permanent ridesharing regulations all allow ridesharing drivers and taxi drivers to use a standard driver’s license, a class five license, if the driver has and maintains a safe driving record. That’s drivers in Quebec, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. If it makes sense in those provinces, it should make sense in B.C. as well.”

He says class four requirements would be a barrier to drivers, including women and people who are deaf and hard of hearing.

“We see one of the top barriers to female participation in ridesharing across Canada is when a class four license is required.”