Uber says proposed Halifax bylaw changes are red tape, will make rides pricier

The proposed changes, which were recommended by the Transportation Standing Committee, aim to impose new licensing requirements on ridesharing services.

Halifax councillors are mulling changes to modernize the municipality’s bylaws around taxi operators and drivers for rideshare companies, such as Uber.

The proposed amendments, which were recommended by the Transportation Standing Committee, aim to impose new licensing requirements on ridesharing services. The current bylaw requires the ridesharing companies to be licensed by the municipality but not the drivers themselves.

If passed, the bylaw amendments would require ridesharing drivers to submit background checks and training documents to the municipality for verification.

These requirements would include criminal record checks, child abuse registry checks, Nova Scotia driver’s abstracts, and English language proficiency testing. Drivers would also have to complete HRM’s online vehicle-for-hire training program.

A spokesperson for Uber in Canada says the change would impose unnecessary red tape, especially since the company already requires those checks for their drivers.

Rang pointed out the changes would result in $135 in new fees for drivers and an additional $100 every two years after meeting the initial requirements.

“These are new, duplicative requirements, which is going to increase costs and slow onboarding for drivers,” said spokesperson, Keerthana Rang.

“And for riders, it will make rides less reliable and more expensive.”