Mississauga Lifts Uber Ban

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Published May 25, 2016 at 7:02 pm

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Uber users, rejoice!

The Mississauga News is reporting that council voted 8-4 to lift the much-debated ban on Uber and push up the deadline for a ridesharing pilot program.

For the past few weeks, the city has been experiencing intense Uber drama. Initially voting to ban the service, the city extended an olive branch to the embattled company by offering to launch a ridesharing pilot program in September. The caveat? That Uber suspend all operations within the city until the launch. Council actually promised to scrap the program altogether if Uber failed to comply, but the company continued to service customers.

Now, it looks like Uber has won the battle. The News is reporting that councillors have opted to allow Mississauga’s enforcement staff to ticket drivers until further regulations are hammered out. Although tickets might not seem ideal, the threat of them hasn’t deterred Uber drivers thus far.

So it looks like it will be business as usual for Uber and other TNCs (transportation network companies) until the pilot program is launched.

The ban  —ignored, though it may have been — has been lifted.

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie issued this statement following today’s Council meeting, where Council reaffirmed its commitment to proceed with a committee to develop a made in Mississauga pilot program to regulate Transportation Network Companies (TNCs): 

“The status-quo is not working and we need a made in Mississauga solution to regulate TNCs. 

“The rise and popular demand of TNCs has presented new challenges for communities across Canada. These challenges are felt by consumers, companies and workers in Mississauga. 

“We want the taxi industry and TNC representatives at the table and to be full partners in this committee that is tasked with developing a made in Mississauga pilot program to regulate TNCs.  

“This pilot program is an opportunity to bring both sides together and to allow us to test drive ride sharing companies like UberX in Mississauga, on our terms. 

“Council has an important opportunity to level the playing field by modernizing rules and regulations to ensure Mississauga is a city in step with the times, and with what the public wants. 

“Today, Council made the responsible decision by voting to proceed with a real plan that will allow us to better address the growing demand for TNCs. 

“Innovation, technology and growth are driving competition in an established industry that has a long history of providing quality and reliable service. The debate about how to regulate TNCs is not going away and we need to get it right.”

 

 

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