Uber cheers Ontario court ruling but remains shut out of Vancouver

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      The general manager of Uber Canada welcomes a court ruling that prevents the City of Toronto from outlawing ride-sharing.

      "This decision means that you can continue to access safe, reliable, and affordable rides through the Uber platform," Ian Black said in a statement. "We also hope that this decision helps further pave the way for ridesharing regulations and we’re excited to continue our work with Mayor [John] Tory and Toronto City Council."

      Justice Sean Dunphy concluded that the city has not proven that Uber is carrying out a taxi or limousine service and therefore doesn't fall under these municipal regulations. He dismissed the city's application for an injunction.

      The situation in B.C. isn't nearly as clear.

      Last month, the City of Burnaby advised Uber that it's ineligible for a business licence.

      Uber has also encountered resistance from the provincial regulator. In 2012, the B.C. Passenger Transportation Board banned Uber's ride-sharing service.

      In 2014, four B.C. taxi companies launched a B.C. Supreme Court action seeking an injunction against Uber relaunching its business in Vancouver.

      It remains to be seen what impact the Ontario Superior Court ruling might have on B.C. judges who might be faced with similar disputes between Uber and regulatory authorities.

      This year, the City of Vancouver extended its moratorium on new taxi licences as a Vancouver Taxi Roundtable, comprised of various stakeholders, is discussing how the business should proceed in the city.

      Comments

      20 Comments

      Mayt

      Jul 5, 2015 at 10:38am

      Corruption at its finest. Most expensive city with a monopoly taxi service. I can't wait until uber gets into Vancouver, and believe me they will! I just spent 2 weeks in California and used uber several times. It was amazing and very easy to use. I remember last Christmas waiting for a cab for 3 hours after a work Christmas party and thinking how insane it is.

      A taxi driver told me once how the system works and how he can't talk about uber or he'd be in trouble from his cab company. He didn't own his cab... Many don't. He leases his cab from someone else who owns the license and has to pay a fee and his own gas before he can't make any money. No wonder they charge so much.

      This is a supply and demand problem. Uber will solve this. May the best company win.

      Carless but Cares

      Jul 5, 2015 at 10:58am

      When cab companies get their butts in a twist over uber and try to get it banned from their cities it feels like horse carriage owners trying to get a car lot shut down.

      Something smells, and it isn't the cabs....

      Jul 5, 2015 at 12:14pm

      Of this were another foreign company, insisting on regulatory change to benefit themselves, people would be screaming.
      But, because they see some small benefit for themselves, they are willing to be sucked in.
      Uber claims to be a technology company, as if these rides would 'match up' without their 'help'.
      Do they not benefit from the fares generated?
      Uber sounds a lot like trickle down economics...a big lie, dressed up in a lot of promises.

      Hunter 45-70

      Jul 5, 2015 at 12:39pm

      Having taken a $20 taxi ride at 1 am from YVR for a mile I am all for this...Vancouver cabbies suck...

      Wolfie

      Jul 5, 2015 at 2:29pm

      Uber is still very sketchy when it comes to insurance coverage. When a driver gets into an accident who covers the costs? Do all drivers have the additional insurance coverages?

      Ermott

      Jul 5, 2015 at 3:06pm

      It's obvious then, that Vancouver is more corrupt than Ontario. In Vancouver the taxi license plate is worth many times the value of the car it hangs on. There's something very wrong with that.

      The taxi business should just face the fact that times are changing and that the changes favor the customer.

      Smash the Nanny State

      Jul 5, 2015 at 3:29pm

      If you want a driver with a specific sort of insurance, do your own due diligence and find out if they hold a policy.

      Uber won't prevent any babies from using nanny approved taxis, but it will allow more choice for adults.

      Those of you who think they have the right to nanny everyone are disturbed.

      Tsk

      Jul 5, 2015 at 3:47pm

      Unbelievable that people are willing to turn the taxi industry into a 3rd world model in the hopes that they get a cheap ride. Makes me wonder what they'd do to us for a free ride.

      @Tsk

      Jul 5, 2015 at 8:02pm

      Won't someone please think of the socialists addicted to protected markets??

      Those against Uber...

      Jul 5, 2015 at 8:58pm

      ... clearly don't get it. Leave aside the market dynamics that clearly created a demand for it, and consider why A, so many people want it and B, why taxi companies don't.

      Taxi service in Vancouver is deplorable and shitty. The drivers aren't anything special, nor are their cars. There aren't enough cars to service the demand. Not even close, especially on a crappy rainy weekend night when they've hit their limit and legally can't make any more money on the shift, so they go home and leave us all stranded. And the rules are the rules, which nobody can change... and as long as the rules can't change, we all suffer.

      Take an Uber somewhere in any other city... a beautiful black town car or SVU shows up... with a friendly driver... with bottles of fresh water... which charging cables for your phone... no need to tell him where you're going, no need to ask him to help you with your bags (he just will), no need to worry about money or payment or tip... you get there and that's it. And it takes less than 10 minutes for the car to arrive, no matter where you are.

      It is SO much better than the local taxi scene... like, SO much better, that I can assure you every single person who's against it has never used the service. Guaranteed. It's like some unknown restaurant opens up next to McDonalds, and is a bit cheaper.

      "Why do we need it?! We already have McDonalds!" Then you go in there and it's fresh food, yummy and tasty, healthy, faster and cheaper than McDonalds and then you go Holy Shit, look what we've been missing out and to hell with the politicians and the huge lobby that dominates them and makes us suffer.

      Yes, I get it, the same people who flooded the Liberal party at the last minute and got Christy Clark nominated and then helped get her elected... are all the same people who own and operate ALL of the taxi companies in town. We get it, Uber licensing is a provincial issue. The pieces aren't hard to put together. The fact that everyone seems so incredibly impotent to even try to bring us all something that's SO much better for all us... who's the government working for? Who are the taxi companies working for?

      And we all get shafted.