Toronto: Uber’s fate to be spelled out today

Insurance is at the heart of the Uber tussle, and today Toronto’s brokers are waiting to see whether City Hall reveals what the future looks like for ride-sharing services

Motor & Fleet

By Libby MacDonald

Uber executives will be waiting  with bated breath today for the release to the public of the hotly anticipated guidelines on ridesharing services such as Uber from City Hall.

The guidelines have been in process since September amidst a turbulent background that included headline-grabbing taxi-driver strikes and threatened strikes.

Insurance was implicit in a statement released by Beck Taxi Operations Manager Kristine Hubbard in a statement issued the day before as one of the issues her company hopes to see preserved in any new regulations.

“We hope the city’s latest report won’t turn back the clock on regulations that ensure safety for drivers and riders – as well as regulations that discourage precarious work in the for-hire vehicle industry,” she said. ““We look forward to reviewing the upcoming report and to sharing our input on its recommendations with our drivers, riders and city councillors. Our goal is to work with city hall to ensure Toronto is well served by its ground transportation system with safe, effective and smart regulations.”

“The whole idea is to have a balanced system that offers people choice, that offers them the most advanced technology and that offers protection for public safety, whether you are in an Uber car, a taxi or a limo,” said Mayor Tory the day before the guidelines were due to be released. “Our new regulations coming out Thursday are meant to address all of those things but still leave people choice and give them access to the latest technology.”

The licensing and standards committee is due to consider the guidelines in mid- April.

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