(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

where ya headed?

New Vehicle for Hire bylaw delayed, will cover ride-sharing for first time

Nov 25, 2019 | 5:32 PM

A new City of Red Deer bylaw is coming that will level the playing field for all types of vehicles for hire.

However, it’s been delayed for up to eight weeks so administration can seek out further information for city council.

On Monday, council was presented with and was supposed to vote on the five principles which the new bylaw will be based on. They include safety, customer service, equity, balancing the needs, and cost/opportunity for income.

Currently, The City only has a Limousine and Sedan Bylaw, and a Taxi Bylaw, but neither covers ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft. Uber has operated in Red Deer since Sept. 2017, but only pays fees to the province, and not The City.

What additional details council is hoping to get in the weeks to come is around the pros and cons of unified licensing, clarification on provincial fees, as well as what fees look like in Lethbridge, St. Albert and Sherwood Park, the pros and cons of self-regulating brokerages, and the rationale for the proposed fee structure.

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The City began consultations on a new bylaw in August 2017 by reaching out to the mayors and administrators of other central Alberta municipalities. In Sept. 2017, the results of a regional survey were revealed to city council, and then council held a workshop on the matter in May 2018.

The matter is expected to return to council in the next eight weeks, and likely not on Dec. 9 as originally scheduled.