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By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

getting a ride

Sylvan Lake’s new Vehicle for Hire Bylaw creates path for ridesharing companies

Nov 18, 2022 | 4:16 PM

An updated Vehicle for Hire Bylaw should pave the way for more ridesharing opportunities to enter the Sylvan Lake market.

Town council passed third reading of the bylaw this week, upgrading the one approved in 2018, which at that time replaced the old Taxi Bylaw.

According to Town administration, the 2018 version addressed shuttles and limos, but not ridesharing, which from a regional perspective has stuck to Red Deer with Uber entering the city in fall 2017.

Since 2018, admin notes, the vehicle for hire industry in Sylvan Lake has struggled to maintain adequate numbers, and the only Sylvan Lake-based taxi company — Aurora Taxi — folded in 2021.

There are only a handful of cabs operated by Red Deer-based Associated Cabs in Sylvan Lake, notes Ron Lebsack, Director of Parks and Protective Services.

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“Those companies — Uber and Lyft — have expressed interest during previous conversations we’ve had through our Economic Development office,” says Lebsack.

“We have not directly told them we’re interested, but we’ve let it be known on social media that we do have a need for rideshare or vehicle for hire services.”

Specifically, council’s objective with the bylaw amendments was to reduce red tape and hurdles for companies to do business in town.

“This is also with the direct intent that it would provide more cabs or rideshare opportunities on the street. The way it’s written, it should be equally attractive to both taxi and rideshare companies,” he says.

“The increase in them will affect everything, from tourism to safety on the streets, attracting more people to come to town if they know there’s a viable ride home, more events down on the lakefront, and being able to shuttle people back and forth through the community.”