The Province of British Columbia is working toward putting a ride sharing program in place. Ride sharing includes programs like Uber.
Dan Hara has been hired as a consultant. Hara has undertaken a number of reviews for cities and provinces across Canada as they brought in commercial ride-share services.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister and North Island MLA Claire Trevena says Hara’s recommendations will determine how the Province could modernize safety regulations, vehicle licensing and the six different pieces of legislation that regulate the industry.
“The plan will outline steps we need to take as we move ahead with a well thought out solution by next spring at the latest. His recommendations will help us deliver a ‘Made in BC’ approach to ride sharing that will help keep people safe and provide more choice and convenience for people across British Columbia.”
Hara did a report for the City of Vancouver for ride sharing back in 2015. Trevena says there are reasons why that report is being disregarded and and why the Province will be starting from scratch.
“Because what happens in Vancouver is NOT the whole province. We’ve got to look at what’s happening in Prince George, in Campbell River, in Quesnel,” she says.
“We’ve got to look at right around the province about how the taxi industry works because people want to see the next step, whether it is a so-called ride sharing or anything else around the province. We need to look at the province-wide implications.”
Trevena says she expects a report from Hara in early 2018 with appropriate legislative changes to be done before the year is over.
