A Winnipeg man has seen enough: Enough North American cities with ride-sharing options to know it's about time his hometown got out of the dark ages and provided the same.

So Jay Hall is trying to get some momentum to open the door for companies like Uber, already operating in three provinces, to step through and set up shop in Winnipeg.

Hall has set up a petition online to get it started, but his real hope is to finally bring the province and city officials to the table and start a meaningful discussion.

"I know that ride sharing is a contentious issue because of the Taxi Cab Board, so I tried to present two different options: One that allows taxi cabs yet another chance to adapt to the way things are or to get ride sharing in the province," Hall said. "I'm hoping that, at the very least, the dialogue gets started and a meeting of some sort takes place. We're behind the curve here and we need to catch up because this is the future.

A statement from Mayor Brian Bowman's office said the mayor supports the idea of ride sharing, but acknowledged clearing the way for it to become reality lies in the hands of the province and the Manitoba Taxicab Board.

"City Council does not have jurisdiction over these decisions," the statement read. "Mayor Bowman has also indicated his strong preference that any decision on this matter should work not only for citizens, but also Winnipeg's local taxicab industry as well as any individual or business who could potentially become involved."

A one-line statement from a spokesperson for Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke was non-committal.

"Our Government is pro-competition but is committed to ensuring a level playing field," the statement read.

The board has enlisted an independent consultant to study the industry and provide recommendations, with an online survey open until Oct. 2.

Hall's petition, started a little more than a week ago on Change.org, has more than 500 supporters, but he believes represents merely a fraction of people in Winnipeg who would be pro-Uber.

The "Bring Uber to Winnipeg" Facebook group has more than 900 members and has featured a discussion from both the pro- and anti-Uber segments.

"It's something that is going to happen, it's just a matter of when," he said.

Uber officials have previously said they are not looking to break into the Winnipeg market yet, but sent a representative to the city last October to meet with the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and scout the potential.

dlarkins@postmedia.com

Twitter: @LarkinsWSun

UBER OFFERING

Cities in Canada where Uber is already operating:

ONTARIO

Toronto

Ottawa

London

Waterloo

Niagara (region)

Guelph

Hamilton

Windsor

Kingston

ALBERTA

Edmonton

Calgary

QUEBEC

Provincial government has given Uber a three-month reprieve with a bill amendment that calls for Uber drivers to adhere to existing system of taxi permits.

Source: Uber