Advertisement

Vancouver city council to revisit hold on new taxi licences

Click to play video: 'Vancouver City Council votes to extend moratorium on taxi license'
Vancouver City Council votes to extend moratorium on taxi license
WATCH: The City of Vancouver had the opportunity Wednesday to improve the taxi situation in the city. Instead, they voted to extend a moratorium on taxi license. Nadia Stewart reports – Oct 19, 2016

UPDATE (Oct.19, 2016): The City of Vancouver has voted to extend the moratorium on new taxi licenses. 

Vancouver city council is set to consider whether a moratorium on new taxi licences should be upheld.

It’s been a year since city councilors voted not to issue any new licenses. Then, earlier this year, the province announced it would be conducting a province-wide review of ride-sharing and taxi services.

Geoff Meggs, a Vision Vancouver city councilor, says it only makes sense they wait for the results of the province’s review.

“It seems wrong to charge ahead and make a decision that may be rendered out of whack by what unfolds in the next couple of months by the province,” Meggs said.

What’s more, the city and the Passenger Transportation Board continue to be at odds over accessible cabs and whether suburban taxi companies should be allowed to operate in Vancouver.

Story continues below advertisement

Add ride-sharing companies like Uber into the mix, and Meggs argues there’s just too much uncertainty.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“Until we know, it could be a waste of effort for the city to go on its own,” Meggs said.

WATCH: Vancouver city council is deciding later this week if the new taxi moratorium should be upheld.

Click to play video: 'City of Vancouver reviews taxi license moratorium'
City of Vancouver reviews taxi license moratorium

However, that reasoning is prompting NPA councilor Melissa De Genova to question why city council might take a wait-and-see approach on this issue when on others – specifically, the licensing of medicinal marijuana dispensaries – they’ve forged ahead.

“I’m very interested to ask [the mayor] why he’s willing to wait for the province to make a decision to move forward, but he won’t wait for the federal government to make a decision on marijuana,” De Genova said.
Story continues below advertisement

Council’s October 2015 vote for a taxi license moratorium was unanimous.

Sponsored content

AdChoices