■ VAUGHN PALMER EXPLORES EXCUSES FOR DELAYS

NDP minister serves up unique excuses for delays in arrival of ride-hailing in B.C.

For a moment Thursday, Transportation Minister Claire Trevena made it sound as if the New Democrats realized people wanted no more delays in bringing ride-hailing to Metro Vancouver.

“We know people are frustrated and have been waiting far too long for solutions to the lack of transportation options that are available,” she confessed at the outset of a news conference in downtown Vancouver.

“People want more options for getting around the city efficiently and they want them now.”

Right you are minister. You’ve been reading your mail and maybe that of media commentators as well.

The B.C. Liberals protected the taxi industry from ride-hailing until the eve of the last provincial election. The New Democrats promised action in 2017, then stalled until this year. But now there was an action plan. Or so the minister claimed.

“The first steps in our action plan are intended to improve marketplace conditions for innovative transportation companies,” vowed Trevena.

“These will make it easier for new companies to apply to offer services in B.C.”

Hear that Uber? Hear that Lyft? The New Democrats are on the fast track.

But as the minister proceeded, it soon became apparent the first steps in the action plan were not for newcomers to the marketplace. Rather, the NDP would first dispense a couple more favours to those sheltering under the already well-protected umbrella of the taxi industry.

“First, we will be working with the board to boost the number of taxis to make it easier for people to get around.” She’d add as many as 500 to existing fleets, 300 destined for Metro Vancouver.

“Secondly, we’re going to be giving the taxi industry the flexibility to discount fares when trips are booked through an app.”

All this in the name of ensuring the industry will “be able to compete on a level playing field when new players are introduced.”

The B.C. industry has had the playing field to itself for years, with ample time to prepare for competition that has already arrived elsewhere. But along with those giveaways, the New Democrats are orchestrating a few more delays.

They’ll direct regulators to prepare better data on the need for taxi services at given times and places. Consultant Dan Hara, already on contract for $165,000, will be retained for more consultations.

Draft legislation, amending six relevant provincial laws, is in the works for the fall session of the legislature, clearing the way for would-be ride-hailing companies to eventually “apply” to enter the market here.

Plus ICBC will develop a “new insurance product” for the industry that will, of course, take time to prepare and even more time to pass regulatory muster from the B.C. Utilities Commission.

After all that from the minister, the first question from the news media was, naturally enough: “Can you give B.C.ers a date when you expect ride-hailing to be available in B.C.?”

No she could not. Or, rather, would not.

“I know people are looking for expanded transportation options to be available very soon, and I want to reassure them that a lot of work is happening to get this accomplished,” she said at one point. “But it is important that we get this right.”

Reporters tried the question every which way, but the minister refused to provide any specific timetable for the introduction of ride-hailing in B.C.

Yet as Trevena fended off reporters, her own ministry had already distributed a press release with an opening paragraph that admitted the New Democrats were “easing the way” for ridehailing companies “to offer services to British Columbians by fall of 2019.”

Was the minister unaware of what was in her own press release? Had she not been briefed on that point by the political staffers who crammed her into the message box?

Or were the New Democrats choosing not to provide the broadcast media with a clip where the minister admitted to another year’s delay in the arrival of ridehailing in B.C.?

The embarrassments continued as the minister fielded other questions, with some of her answers bordering on the preposterous.

Have the New Democrats, since the election, maintained their hostility to Uber, the lead ridehailing company?

“This is not about any particular company at all,” replied Trevena. “This is about ensuring that people have access to service.” Yes minister, whatever you say. Was she still concerned about the political fallout from key ridings in Surrey?

“This is an issue about people’s safety. It’s an issue about people’s needs. It is not a political issue.”

It must have taken hours of media training to get to the point where she could say that with a straight face.

Why was B.C. so far behind the times on ride-hailing ?

“I wouldn’t say that we’re far behind the times at all. I’d say that we are doing things in a very methodical way.” Besides, argued Trevena, B.C. is “unique.” What is so unique about it? She rattled off concerns about overlapping governance, independent regulation and the safety of passengers and drivers — as if none of those factors were present in the hundreds of other cities where ride-hailing is already in place.

Still, I agree that B.C. is unique in some respects. The government is uniquely in thrall to the taxi industry. Also uniquely determined to delay ride-hailing for as long as possible.

And the minister is uniquely evasive on both scores.

The B.C. industry has had the playing field to itself for years, with ample time to prepare.