Is New Bylaw Enough To Entice Ride-Hailing Companies To Halifax?
HALIFAX — Halifax Regional Council has paved the way for ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft to come to the city.
Yesterday, the council officially adopted a package of new rules that lays out exactly how “Transportation Networking Companies” (TNCs) will have to operate in Halifax.
The new rules bring ride-hailing companies under the municipality’s taxi and limousine bylaw. They set out new requirements for driver criminal record checks, licensing fees for operators, and reporting trip data to the city.
But while the new municipal bylaw opens the city’s doors to TNCs, the companies probably won’t step through until the provincial government makes some of its own regulatory changes.
When the council passed the first reading of the new bylaw in August, Lyft spokesperson Fatima Reyes told Huddle Lyft “appreciates the opportunity to work with all levels of government in Halifax and Nova Scotia” but that the company “[doesn’t] have additional expansion plans at this time.
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Uber spokesperson Laura Miller, meanwhile, said in an email the move was “positive” but that “now the ball in is in the province’s court.”
“We look forward to [Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines] sharing details and timelines for the reforms required to make ridesharing a reality,” she said in a statement.
One of those reforms is the same one the municipality has been clamoring for: the ability to charge a small, per-trip fee on every trip taken with a ride-hailing service.
The municipality wants to charge the fees to help offset the environmental impact of ride-hailing services on city roads. However, the city can’t charge those fees unless the provincial government makes changes to the Motor Vehicle Act.
Council has asked the province to make the changes but hasn’t received a clear answer about when or if that will happen.
Ride-hailing companies are also hesitant to move into Nova Scotia under the province’s current licensing system.
Right now, driving passengers for money in Nova Scotia requires a Class 4 license, which is a step above the standard, Class 5 license most recreational drivers have.
Ride-hailing companies see the extra steps required to get a Class 4 license as a barrier and aren’t likely to set up shop here unless that changes.
In February, Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston proposed a law that would create a special license for ride-hailing drivers. Drivers would have to pass a criminal record check every two years and complete a “rigorous” training program, however, they wouldn’t need to get a full Class 4 license.
“Nova Scotia should enjoy the same market advances as the rest of the world,” Houston said after introducing the plan. “We have a vibrant province with world-class amenities and there is no reason why we shouldn’t add ride-hailing to our cities and towns.”
But since Houston’s PC Party sits in opposition he has no power to enact his plan. The sitting Liberal government, meanwhile, hasn’t said if or how it plans to change provincial laws.
In a statement to Huddle, provincial spokesperson Gary Andrea pointed out that ride-hailing companies can operate in Nova Scotia right now, without any regulatory changes. He didn’t say if or whether his government is planning to make the changes both council and ride-hailing companies want.
“It is important that we are able to balance and reflect the needs of all stakeholders, including reducing administrative burden and ensuring road safety,” he wrote.
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