B.C. ride-hailing report | Download

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On November 28, 2017, the Legislative Assembly approved a motion instructing the Select Standing Committee on Crown Corporations (the “Committee”) to examine, inquire into, and make recommendations on ride-sharing in British Columbia. In this report, “ride-sharing” as used in the Terms of Reference is interpreted to mean those services provided by transportation network companies (TNCs). The Committee invited 67 expert witnesses to either present at a public hearing or to provide a written submission. Over three days of hearings on January 8, 9, and 10, 2018, the Committee heard 26 presentations and received 13 written submissions by the deadline of January 15, 2018. The Committee wishes to thank all of those who shared their expertise during this process.

Committee Members agreed that TNCs should be permitted to operate in British Columbia within a provincial regulatory regime. With this in mind, the report reflects on two main areas: the impact that the introduction of TNCs may have on British Columbians and their communities; and a regulatory regime that the province may establish to govern TNCs.
The introduction of TNCs involves many complex issues, often accompanied by opposing evidence. As such, the Committee aimed to present a fair account of the input received and concerns raised. While this is a unanimous report, the Committee would like to acknowledge that they were not able to reach a consensus on every matter. In these instances, the details of the Committee’s discussion are captured within the body of the report.

In regard to the impact on British Columbians and their communities, five key areas emerged: accessibility; employment; public transportation, traffic congestion and environment; small, rural and remote communities; and the taxi industry. In the area of accessibility, the Committee made a number of recommendations in an effort to ensure that TNCs deliver equitable and timely service to all British Columbians. Requiring wait-time standards or service guarantees and incentivizing drivers of wheelchair accessible vehicles with a trip bonus are examples of ways to achieve this. Committee Members also recommended that TNCs’ online applications meet or exceed established mobile accessibility standards and that these companies provide inclusion training for drivers.

Download full report here.

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