Article content continued

Green party Coun. Adriane Carr questioned whether the city’s overall approach was in sync with its goal to replace vehicles with bikes, buses and pedestrians.

“More vehicles on the road is not the solution,” she said.

She also said she was concerned about the long-term impact on congestion, but ultimately supported the plan.

On several occasions, in response to questions and attempted amendments by councillors, staff said the regulations could be tweaked later after the city started to see how ride-hailing was working in its jurisdiction.

Photo by Jason Payne / PNG

City manager Sadhu Johnston said he would prefer the plan was referred back to staff rather than substantially altered on the floor, but cautioned that if the city did not move quickly, the industry would start to operate in an unregulated environment.

Michael van Hemmen, Uber’s head of Western Canada, said the company expected it would see fewer drivers in this jurisdiction than had been seen in others, and that those drivers would work longer hours, both due to the higher barriers for entry. Among other things, drivers in B.C. will be required to hold a Class-4 licence.

Van Hemmen criticized the $100 vehicle licensing fee. If other jurisdictions used Vancouver’s regulations as a template, drivers who operate across jurisdictions could end up paying hundreds of dollars in fees, he said.

Sophia Cote of Lyft called the $100 fee troubling and prohibitive, and she called for a more regional approach.