No easy ride for ride-hailing in B.C. as province delays implementation again
VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government says it will ease into allowing ride-hailing services, laying the groundwork for new rides to enter the market as early as the fall of 2019.
In the meantime, Transport Minister Claire Trevena said the government plans to increase the number of taxis on the streets and allow flexible fares for existing taxi firms that arrange rides using apps.
The idea is to ensure the existing taxi industry is ready and able to compete on a level playing field when new players are introduced, she said.
Allowing services such as Uber and Lyft by the end of 2017 was a promise the NDP made during the last election, but Trevena would not commit to a new deadline during a news conference Thursday.