Uber is preparing to take legal action against the City of Surrey to 香蕉视频直播渄efend the right to access Uber香蕉视频直播檚 apps香蕉视频直播� in this city despite what Mayor Doug McCallum says.
香蕉视频直播淯ber has filed for an injunction with the Supreme Court of British Columbia to stop the City of Surrey from issuing illegal tickets,香蕉视频直播� Michael van Hemmen, Uber香蕉视频直播檚 Head of Western Canada, revealed in a press statement Tuesday. 香蕉视频直播淭he city香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播�
He said the injunction being sought is based on two key points: The first is the City of Surrey doesn香蕉视频直播檛 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 香蕉视频直播� which there is not 香蕉视频直播� 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. 香蕉视频直播淔or those who continue to operate in Surrey,香蕉视频直播� McCallum said during a press conference at city hall, 香蕉视频直播渢here will no longer be any warning tickets and any violators caught will be ticketed and face a fine of $500.香蕉视频直播�
The mayor argues that taxi drivers are also trying to support their families and need a 香蕉视频直播渓evel playing field香蕉视频直播� 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 香蕉视频直播渨ill continue to be available to the residents and visitors of Surrey香蕉视频直播� within its service area.
香蕉视频直播淚t is highly unfortunate that the mayor is threatening drivers with fines that have no legal basis,香蕉视频直播� Uber香蕉视频直播檚 statement reads. It notes that Premier John Horgan and Transporation Minister Claire Trevena have been 香蕉视频直播渧ery clear that municipalities do not have the authority to prevent ridesharing companies from operating.香蕉视频直播�
McCallum came out swinging Monday afternoon, calling a presser to outline the city香蕉视频直播檚 position on Uber operating here without a business licence, to which Uber maintains there is no licence it 香蕉视频直播渃ould apply for or obtain.香蕉视频直播�
According to provincial law, Uber notes, 香蕉视频直播渞idesharing is not taxi.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淯ber is supportive of the Inter-Municipal Business Licence,香蕉视频直播� its statement reads, 香蕉视频直播渁nd looks forward to obtaining an IMBL when it becomes available.香蕉视频直播�
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.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 not fair,香蕉视频直播� McCallum said. 香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 no level playing field.香蕉视频直播�
He said Uber and other ride-hailing operations 香蕉视频直播渃an apply for the same licence taxis apply for.
香蕉视频直播淭here is an option to do that.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎ll we want is a level playing field, and then we welcome ride hailing on an equal basis,香蕉视频直播� McCallum said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 free enterprise.香蕉视频直播�
On Monday night, Councillor Linda Annis presented a notice of motion instructing city staff to prepare a report on ride hailing for council香蕉视频直播檚 next meeting, 香蕉视频直播渨ith some recommendations.香蕉视频直播�
McCallum said the city doesn香蕉视频直播檛 want to end up in court over this. 香蕉视频直播淔rom Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 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.香蕉视频直播�
On Tuesday, again at city hall, McCallum was once again peppered with questions on ride hailing, such as his response to Uber香蕉视频直播檚 threat of legal action.
香蕉视频直播淚 think we always received threats of legal action on a lot of tickets that our bylaw officers do,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 what all cities have.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淣o, I have no concerns,香蕉视频直播� he told a reporter who asked about Uber香蕉视频直播檚 threat. 香蕉视频直播淐ouncil just went over, probably over 150 lawsuits, on Monday, or I don香蕉视频直播檛 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香蕉视频直播檙e the 12th largest in Canada. We get lawsuits all the time.香蕉视频直播�
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 香蕉视频直播渄oes nothing but hurt consumer choice and put public safety at risk.
香蕉视频直播淲e know from peer-reviewed research that for every month ride sharing is legal, impaired driving arrests decline by eight per cent,香蕉视频直播� Clement said. 香蕉视频直播淢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.香蕉视频直播�
Bob Bose, who served as Surrey香蕉视频直播檚 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.
香蕉视频直播淭he administration is acting, it would appear, solely on directives from the mayor香蕉视频直播檚 office,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淭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.香蕉视频直播�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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