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“But it’s not about any one company. It’s about creating rules that are going to support good choice and good service for citizens.”

The bylaw comes back to council Jan. 26.

Passing first reading was critical because council can only pass two readings on any bylaw in one sitting without unanimous consent. Council has been split on this issue. Uber has been operating outside the bylaw since last December, letting private individuals give rides to strangers using their own private vehicle and personal insurance.

It was a tense and frustrating debate for many as council worked through the fine details of the bylaw. They voted not to force driver training requirements on the taxi industry or ride-sharing companies. They also voted not to force Uber and related industries to abide by the same fixed price currently dictated by taxi metres.

Several councillors wanted the bylaw passed already. “These guys are breaking the law,” said Coun. Dave Loken, who advocated minimum fares for Uber so it can’t use predatory behaviour to force other companies out of the market.

The new bylaw would increase fines for driving without a taxi licence to $5,000 from the current $1,000, and give bylaw officers the authority to demand to see insurance papers when they pull over a driver on the road.

It was also written with the idea that Edmonton might have to return to court to reapply for a court injunction against Uber if it refuses to comply, said lawyer Nancy Jacobsen, who helped write the bylaw with the city’s chief livery officer. A judge denied Edmonton’s last request for an injunction, saying the bylaw was too vague and needed to be brought into the 21st century.