Calgary councillor applauding Edmonton’s Uber legislation
Posted Jan 28, 2016 3:32 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Uber is now officially legal in the city of Edmonton, thanks to a vote by city councillors there on Wednesday.
The service will officially be legalized on March 1st, as long as the California-based company follows certain conditions, including ensuring all of its drivers have provincially-approved commercial insurance, and paying the city $70,000 a year.
Now, a Calgary councillor is applauding Alberta’s capital for taking steps to legislate Uber, but he says there is no “one size fits all” solution.
Ward 8 councillor Evan Woolley said Calgary city council needs to recognize what transportation options for our citizens are in high demand.
“Calgary is working towards addressing our own regulatory framework,” he said. “It’s good to see Edmonton take some steps towards theirs. Obviously the province has a role to play in this in regards to insurance, as well as the licensing system.”
Woolley added, council also needs to make sure Uber is a safe and viable option for Calgarians.
“Uber is not like a taxi company,” he added. “We know that the average Uber driver only drives Uber for about six months. It’s generally meant to supplement income; it’s very short-term. So we need to provide an opportunity for easy entrance for those people that are desiring to do this.”
It’s still unclear what type of license Calgary will require for Uber drivers before the ride-sharing company can hit city streets.
As it stands now, the City still has an injunction preventing the company from operating here. Council will be looking at the regulatory framework on February 22nd.
