Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft won't be coming to BC this year.
BC's Minister of Transportation Claire Trevena says her government is laying the groundwork for rideshare services by the fall of 2019 while increasing the number of taxis on the streets to ensure people have a safe ride home.
Trevena says the first steps are intended to improve marketplace conditions for innovative transportation companies, and the province expects rideshare companies wanting to enter the market to submit applications to the Passenger Transportation Board by September 2019.
The NDP had made it an election promise to let companies like Uber and Lyft operate in BC by the end of last year.
Meantime B.C. Green Party spokesperson for transportation, Adam Olsen, says it's disappointing residents won't have ride-hailing by this winter, but he's we are glad that the government has committed to a path forward.
Olsen says a better approach would be to modernize the taxi industry at the same time as bringing in ride-hailing, noting there've been lot of broken promises on this issue. He adds the Minister needs to meet the goal of accepting applications by Fall 2019.