British Columbians will get a clearer picture of the future of “ride-sharing” services such as Uber next week.
In a written statement, the Ministry of Transportation said it is working to ensure existing taxi drivers are protected once ride-sharing services are introduced.
But it said before those services can be implemented, it must study the potential impact.
The ministry said it will reveal the details on that process, along with a timeline, next week.
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The Green Party will be introducing its own ride-sharing bill in the coming weeks, but may not be able to win the support it would need from BC Liberal MLAs for it to pass.
On Monday, Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said if anyone wanted to start ride-sharing they could right now, so long as they followed existing rules.
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However, those regulations all but rule out business models like those of Uber or Lyft, and there are only limited licenses available.
In August, Uber began mapping B.C. with an eye to launching its service in Metro Vancouver by the end of the year.
The previous BC Liberal government had pledged to have ride-sharing operational by year’s end, in time for the holiday season.