Regulations expected for ride-sharing this month, says minister
Saskatoon could receive ride sharing as a Christmas present. Provincial regulations that would allow companies to operate are expected this month.
In an interview on Wednesday, Minister Responsible for SGI Joe Hargrave said he expects the legislation that would accommodate companies like Uber and Lyft to be tabled in two weeks.
That should give municipalities like the City of Saskatoon the opportunity to introduce and approve their own ride-sharing rules in December.
In Saskatoon’s case, the earliest city council could pass the bylaw being drafted by the city solicitor’s office would be at its Dec. 17 meeting.
“I’d like to see ride share by the end of the year,” Hargrave said. “I’d like to see it for Christmas.”
Hargrave repeated a long-held belief of the Saskatchewan Party government that ride sharing could help solve the province’s high rate of impaired driving.
The legislation paving the way for ride-sharing regulations was passed in the spring, but ongoing consultations have stretched the process longer than some expected, Hargrave said.
The province has continued to consult with police, cities and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, he added.
“It’s really important that we get it right because it affects a lot of people. We keep going back to lots of these groups.”
Hargrave said once the province has formally introduced the legislation, municipalities like Saskatoon can finish drafting their bylaws.
He said the discussions have passed the point where there are “sticking points,” but he admitted not everyone is going to be happy with it.
“We know that the public is strongly in favour of bringing in ride share,” he added.
As in many other cities, Saskatoon city hall has struggled with how to balance the emergence of app-based ride-sharing services with the many regulations placed on the existing taxi industry.
Several marathon meetings were held this summer to try to create a more level playing field for people who make their living in the taxi industry.
Companies like Uber and Lyft rely mostly on part-time drivers, while for many taxi drivers it is their primary source of income.
The city administration has dealt with issues ranging from lower safety regulations for ride-sharing companies to a cap on the number of ride-sharing vehicles allowed to operate.
It’s unclear to what degree ridesharing companies could viably operate in time for the Christmas season once city council passes a new bylaw.