Still ‘no date’ for Vancouver launch: Uber

If you’re waiting for little cars to start crawling on a map of Vancouver on your Uber app, keep waiting.

And if you’re a cab driver fighting the introduction of the ridesharing app in B.C., you can breathe easy for a bit.

“There’s no date set for launch,” said Michael Van Hemmen, Uber’s public policy manager for Western Canada. “We’re hopeful to be here as soon as possible but there’s no date set to launch yet.”

Van Hemmen’s update — or lack thereof — on the status of Uber in B.C. came during a sit-down with a Postmedia editorial board Tuesday that included spokespeople Adam Blinick and Susie Heath.

During the meeting, Van Hemmen acknowledged it’s a waiting game as the provincial government decides whether to allow Uber in B.C. and if so, what sort of regulatory framework is needed. Last year, Peter Fassbender, the cabinet minister tasked with reviewing whether Uber could operate in B.C., said the provincial government would make its stance on the ride-sharing app clear before this spring’s election.

“As we see progress elsewhere, we’re sharing with political parties here how that progress is made and the outcomes and the benefits that are resulting from that,” said Van Hemmen, adding the company had met with all po- litical parties as well as TransLink.

Van Hemmen encouraged citizens to approach their local government, and to continue lobbying for Uber in B.C.

In response to pushback from the province’s taxi industry, Blinick maintained Uber was not looking to cut into their business, but that it sees itself as a complement to the multiple transportation options in the region.