City of Vancouver approves single regional licence

Vancouver: City Council has approved an interim inter-municipal business licence (IMBL), which permits ride-hailing companies to operate across participating municipalities in the Lower Mainland using one business licence.

Pending adoption of the IMBL by-laws by other participating municipalities, the City will lead the issuance and administration of the new regional approach to ride-hailing. The City will be reaching out to ride-hailing companies in the coming weeks to advise of the application process.

“Vancouver is leading the way for simple and cost-effective ride-hailing not just in our City, but across the lower mainland,” said Mayor Kennedy Stewart. “These regulations will help us continue to monitor and minimize the impacts from ride-hailing vehicles on traffic and roads in our City.”

The annual licensing fee for each company will be $155, which avoids companies having to pay a different licence fee in each municipality. Companies will also pay $150 per standard vehicle and $30 for each zero emission vehicle. There is no fee for wheelchair accessible vehicles. Licensing fees will first cover the costs to establish and administer the program, and to monitor impacts. Any remaining revenues will be shared among participating municipalities based on the percentage of pick-ups and dropoffs in each city.

To help municipalities proactively monitor street use and address concerns about increased road congestion, it is expected that the Province will be sharing detailed trip data they collect with municipalities. Ride-hailing companies will also be required to submit the following data monthly to the City:

• Number of standard, zero emission, and wheelchair accessible vehicles in operation • Total pick-ups and drop-offs in each participating municipality “Using our existing ride-hailing regulations as a basis for the interim inter-municipal business licence allows residents in municipalities across the Lower Mainland to now have access to benefits of ride-hailing without further delay,” said Kathryn Holm, Chief Licence Inspector.“we will continue to work with partners in other municipalities to develop a permanent inter-municipal business licence.”

In the interim, ride-hailing companies looking to operate in Vancouver before April 1 must have both a Provincial TNS licence from the Passenger Transportation Board and a Vancouver municipal business licence. Addressing congestion in Vancouver:

• Ride-hailing companies with vehicles operating in the metro core of Vancouver between 7am and 7pm are required to pay 30 cents for each curbside pickup and each drop-off. • Curbside fees are reduced by 50% for zero emission vehicles. • Wheelchair accessible vehicles are exempt from the curbside fee. • Metro Core is the area bounded by Burrard

St, 16th Ave, Clark Ave, and the Burrard Inlet.