As the Province studies how to introduce safe, fair “made in BC” regulations for ride-sharing services, Enderby City Council is asking Transportation Minister Claire Trevena to ensure that those regulations are a good fit in small communities.
In small communities, public transportation options are often limited. This makes it difficult for seniors to get to medical appointments or for people to return home after socializing. Small communities have different needs and ridership demands, in part because of the lack of other transportation options.
While the Province is understandably trying to find a balanced regulation that will protect established public transportation options in large markets, Enderby City Council is concerned that these regulations must be flexible to work in small communities; otherwise, the regulations may be an insurmountable barrier to growing this innovative transportation solution in smaller markets.
Enderby City Council submitted a resolution to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities (UBCM), which was endorsed at the 2017 convention.
The resolution, titled “Regulation of Ride-sharing Services in Small, Rural, & Remote Communities”, states:
Whereas the Province of BC has expressed its intent to create a regulatory framework that permits ridesharing services and transportation network companies to operate in BC;
And whereas the assessment of the possible impacts of allowing new entrants into the passenger transportation field has focused primarily on large urban communities with robust, established, passenger transportation options, which is often not the reality for small, rural, and remote communities where ridesharing and transportation networking offers uniquely viable solutions in the absence of other options:
Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province of BC to implement a viable, flexible, ride-sharing service regulation in BC with attention given to regulatory solutions that will help solve those passenger transportation challenges that are unique to small, rural, and remote communities.
The resolution was previously endorsed by the Southern Interior Local Government Association.
More recently, the Enderby City Council sent a letter to MLA Greg Kyllo, asking that he encourage his party to cooperate with the BC Green Party in expediting a regulatory solution that will support ride-sharing services in small communities like Enderby.
Last Updated on January 8, 2018.