Council committee has voted to allow ride-sharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, to operate in Orillia without requiring its drivers to undergo a vulnerable sector check.
Last year, after much debate and a public meeting, the city opened the door to allowing ride-sharing services to operate in Orillia - with a critical caveat that called for potential Uber drivers, like Orillia’s taxi drivers, to undergo a vulnerable sector check before obtaining a licence to operate.
Essentially, Uber said no to that request and has blacked out service on its app to Orillia and area people.
As a result, excruciatingly long wait times for local taxis has prompted safety concerns. As a result, Mayor Steve Clarke asked staff to revisit the issue.
On Monday night, staff presented a report to council committee that included the following options:
- Remove requirement for a vulnerable sector screening certificate for transportation network company drivers and taxicab drivers before such a driver is able to operate in the City for the first time and alternatively, require a criminal record check provided such driver does not provide transportation services to unaccompanied persons under 18 years of age;
- Add an offence prohibiting a transportation network company driver or taxicab driver from providing transportation services to unaccompanied persons under 18 years of age without first having obtained and provided a vulnerable sector screening certificate;
- Reduce existing business licence fees for transportation network companies and taxicab companies by 20%;
- Remove requirement preventing a transportation network company driver or taxicab driver from providing transportation services if convicted of specific Highway Traffic Act offences listed in Schedule “B of Chapter 725; and
- Remove requirement for a Safety Standards Certificate to be submitted to a transportation network company biannually for vehicles that exceed 40,000 kilometres in the prior year.
There was lots of debate at city hall Monday night about the issue.
Coun. Jay Fallis unsuccessfully tried to postpone the decision until March to allow staff to further investigate FaceDrive, a ride-sharing company that requires vulnerable safety checks.
In the end, council voted to approve those options. Staff noted that representatives from Uber Canada said they would operate in Orillia if the city adopted these recommendations.
"This is about choice and we just need to get out of the way and allow people to have the choice," said Coun. David Campbell.
A majority of his council colleagues agreed.
The decision requires ratification at next Monday night's city council meeting.
For more on this story, check back here tomorrow morning.
