The debate surrounding Edmonton City Hall on the proposed vehicle-for-hire bylaw is quickly getting convoluted, partially due to some skilfully propagated myths.

The first and perhaps most erroneous myth is that companies such as Uber are not taxis, but rather “ride-sharing companies.” This debate is becoming so complicated and polarizing largely because Uber has spent a fortune on spin doctors and savvy public relations companies that have successfully managed to convince people it’s a technology company that offers ride-sharing, not a taxi company that knows how to use technology. Uber drivers are paid to drive people from Point A to Point B, just like taxi drivers.

This myth is fundamental because it is used by Uber as a basis to argue that it should have a different set of rules from the existing taxi industry. Unfortunately, it seems the strategy is working so far. The proposed vehicle-for-hire bylaw currently being considered by city council would create two very different sets of rules: one for taxis, and one for everyone else.

Under the new bylaw, Uber would still be allowed to charge flexible prices, while taxis would be stuck with minimum fares and without the ability to adjust to demand. Crucially, the proposed bylaw also does not talk about basic safety items which many taxi owners have already invested heavily into, such as car-based GPS, dashboard cameras, safety shields and hidden panic buttons. Nor does the proposed bylaw talk about drivers’ training and English language proficiency. Virtually anyone would be allowed to drive for Uber, while working as a traditional taxi driver would entail significantly more hurdles to ensure safety, driving skills and professionalism.

Safety should be fundamental to the taxi industry, yet it seems that in the rush to appease Uber the bar is being lowered to a new (and dangerous) level without regard to the well-being of both passengers and drivers. Instead, we should focus on creating a level playing field for everyone in the taxi industry; one that can ensure a basic and sustainable level of safety and accessibility for all Albertans.

A second key myth is that Uber is inevitable. The only thing that is inevitable is consumers demanding the best possible product, and in the case of the vehicle-for-hire industry that means the latest technology and rapid response times, among other things. The idea that Uber is the only company able to respond to this consumer demand is pure fantasy.

First of all, the longevity of Uber as a company may very well be in doubt. In the U.S. alone, the company is involved in 173 lawsuits and the Business Insider Magazine recently reported on leaked documents which show Uber losing more than $100 million in a single quarter of 2014. The company’s aggressive style and its unwillingness to follow existing laws is also creating a reputation that should make it impossible to gain the trust of city councillors in cities such as Edmonton. In Toronto, Uber recently gave the city what Mayor John Tory described as a “one-finger salute” by indicating (mere minutes after a council vote) that it will not adhere to new regulations. So the question becomes: Why should Edmonton bend over backward to accommodate a company that has a track record of flouting the law around the world?

Instead, the city should work with the existing taxi industry to work on any improvements the general public may be demanding. The taxi industry in Edmonton follows the rules as set by the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta, and has a constructive and respectful relationship with council. As an industry, it is more than willing to work with the city to increase the number of licenses to help increase response time and improve service, just like it is willing and already working on improving the technology people can use to access their service.