Uber is preparing to take legal action against the City of Surrey to 害羞草研究所渄efend the right to access Uber害羞草研究所檚 apps害羞草研究所� in this city despite what Mayor Doug McCallum says.
害羞草研究所淯ber has filed for an injunction with the Supreme Court of British Columbia to stop the City of Surrey from issuing illegal tickets,害羞草研究所� Michael van Hemmen, Uber害羞草研究所檚 Head of Western Canada, revealed in a press statement Tuesday. 害羞草研究所淭he city害羞草研究所檚 actions are unfair to local residents who want to earn money and support their families, It is also unfair to those who need a safe, affordable and reliable ride.害羞草研究所�
He said the injunction being sought is based on two key points: The first is the City of Surrey doesn害羞草研究所檛 have the authority to prevent Uber and similar companies from operating here, and the second is that McCallum has publicly stated that even if there was a Transportation Network Service business licence 害羞草研究所� which there is not 害羞草研究所� the city will not issue a business licence to a ridesharing company.
On Monday McCallum told reporters 18 warnings had been issued to Uber drivers to desist. 害羞草研究所淔or those who continue to operate in Surrey,害羞草研究所� McCallum said during a press conference at city hall, 害羞草研究所渢here will no longer be any warning tickets and any violators caught will be ticketed and face a fine of $500.害羞草研究所�
The mayor argues that taxi drivers are also trying to support their families and need a 害羞草研究所渓evel playing field害羞草研究所� with ride-hailing services.
A Tuesday press release from the ride-hailing company, which is locking horns with McCallum over its right to do business in Surrey, said the Uber app 害羞草研究所渨ill continue to be available to the residents and visitors of Surrey害羞草研究所� within its service area.
害羞草研究所淚t is highly unfortunate that the mayor is threatening drivers with fines that have no legal basis,害羞草研究所� Uber害羞草研究所檚 statement reads. It notes that Premier John Horgan and Transporation Minister Claire Trevena have been 害羞草研究所渧ery clear that municipalities do not have the authority to prevent ridesharing companies from operating.害羞草研究所�
McCallum came out swinging Monday afternoon, calling a presser to outline the city害羞草研究所檚 position on Uber operating here without a business licence, to which Uber maintains there is no licence it 害羞草研究所渃ould apply for or obtain.害羞草研究所�
According to provincial law, Uber notes, 害羞草研究所渞idesharing is not taxi.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淯ber is supportive of the Inter-Municipal Business Licence,害羞草研究所� its statement reads, 害羞草研究所渁nd looks forward to obtaining an IMBL when it becomes available.害羞草研究所�
McCallum has positioned himself as the champion of the cab industry. He told reporters the taxi industry faces a cap of 2,500 cabs in Metro Vancouver while ride hailing companies face no caps.
害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 not fair,害羞草研究所� McCallum said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 no level playing field.害羞草研究所�
He said Uber and other ride-hailing operations 害羞草研究所渃an apply for the same licence taxis apply for.
害羞草研究所淭here is an option to do that.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淎ll we want is a level playing field, and then we welcome ride hailing on an equal basis,害羞草研究所� McCallum said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 free enterprise.害羞草研究所�
On Monday night, Councillor Linda Annis presented a notice of motion instructing city staff to prepare a report on ride hailing for council害羞草研究所檚 next meeting, 害羞草研究所渨ith some recommendations.害羞草研究所�
McCallum said the city doesn害羞草研究所檛 want to end up in court over this. 害羞草研究所淔rom Surrey害羞草研究所檚 point of view, we will not be doing any court challenges of it, but we will defend our right to make sure that in our highly regulated industry the people that are involved, the corporations that are involved, are given the same level playing field.害羞草研究所�
On Tuesday, again at city hall, McCallum was once again peppered with questions on ride hailing, such as his response to Uber害羞草研究所檚 threat of legal action.
害羞草研究所淚 think we always received threats of legal action on a lot of tickets that our bylaw officers do,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what all cities have.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淣o, I have no concerns,害羞草研究所� he told a reporter who asked about Uber害羞草研究所檚 threat. 害羞草研究所淐ouncil just went over, probably over 150 lawsuits, on Monday, or I don害羞草研究所檛 say lawsuits but legal things against us. Big cities have those things. In fact Surrey has probably fewer than a lot of big cities, we害羞草研究所檙e the 12th largest in Canada. We get lawsuits all the time.害羞草研究所�
Meantime, David Clement, North American affairs manager for the Consumer Choice Center, which represents consumers in more than 100 countries, says going after Uber drivers 害羞草研究所渄oes nothing but hurt consumer choice and put public safety at risk.
害羞草研究所淲e know from peer-reviewed research that for every month ride sharing is legal, impaired driving arrests decline by eight per cent,害羞草研究所� Clement said. 害羞草研究所淢ayor McCallum may say that he is trying to protect community safety, but the reality is that he is just trying to protect the taxi industry from competition. This is cronyism on full display.害羞草研究所�
Bob Bose, who served as Surrey害羞草研究所檚 mayor from 1988 until 1996, when he was defeated by McCallum, noted there has been no policy yet adopted by city council concerning the licensing of ride-hailing drivers and companies.
害羞草研究所淭he administration is acting, it would appear, solely on directives from the mayor害羞草研究所檚 office,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭his is an important policy issue and staff should not be ticketing providers of the service without an established policy framework, that requires council approval.害羞草研究所�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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