Lyft Inc said on Friday it would distribute some 60,000 vehicle partition shields to its most-active drivers as a protection against the coronavirus.

The City of Vancouver has signed off on inter-municipal rideharing licences for Lyft and Uber.

In a letter sent to Transportation Minister Claire Trevena, the companies say a Class 5+ licence could provide short-term work for those out of a job.

Uber on Wednesday said it would lay off 3,700 full-time employees, or roughly 17 per cent of its head count.

The new coverage area also includes Delta, Burnaby, the Tri Cities and all of Surrey and White Rock.

Residents of Metro Vancouver's Tri-Cities area will have access to both major ridesharing services, starting Monday.

The City of Vancouver says it will administer and issue the new licences while other cities' councils debate signing on.

As of Monday night, residents in Arnprior can use Lyft to hail a rideshare to another part of town or into the national capital.

B.C. Transportation Minister Claire Trevena says she will not wade into the debate over whether municipal taxi boundaries should be scrapped in Metro Vancouver.

The province says Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines will be the only one speaking at the announcement on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Old Brewery Market Courtyard on Lower Water Street.