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Lyft and Uber approved for Burnaby

Two of the world’s biggest ride-hailing companies have been approved for Burnaby. The Passenger Transportation Board has approved Uber Canada Inc. and Lyft Canada Inc.
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Uber this week began begun pushing interested B.C. drivers to get advanced licences. Photo iStock

Two of the world’s biggest ride-hailing companies have been approved for Burnaby.

The Passenger Transportation Board has approved Uber Canada Inc. and Lyft Canada Inc. to operate its ride hailing services in Region 1, which includes the Lower Mainland and Whistler. Municipal licences are still needed.

While Uber and Lyft were approved, the board declined to approve the application of ReRyde Technologies Inc. to operate in Region 2: Capital Regional District (CRD); Region 3 – Vancouver Island, excluding CRD; and Region 4 – Okanagan-Kootenays-Cariboo. It also declined to approved the application of Kater Technologies Inc. to operate in Region 1: Lower Mainland, Whistler; Region 2: Capital Regional District; Region 3 – Vancouver Island, excluding CRD; Region 4 – Okanagan-Kootenays-Cariboo; and Region 5 – B.C. North Central and Other Regions of B.C.

Exactly when Uber and Lyft drivers will be operational in Metro Vancouver has yet to be determined.

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Lyft has received a licence from the Passenger Transportation Board. Photo iStock

Next steps for Uber and Lyft, after receiving licences from the Registrar, are to secure appropriate motor vehicle insurance and to work with municipalities in their operating areas to ensure compliance with local by-laws.

Michael van Hemmen, Uber’s head of Western Canada, said in a press release:

“The PTB’s approval is one of the final steps before Uber is able to start providing reliable, safe, affordable rides in Metro Vancouver. We hope to launch very soon, once we have obtained a business licence from the City of Vancouver and purchased insurance from ICBC. In the meantime, we encourage all qualified drivers with a Class 4 licence to sign up on the Uber app at drive.uber.com so they can start earning money as soon as operations begin.”

According to the board’s press release, it has received a total of 29 ride-hailing applications to date and so far has issued decisions on six of them. “The board is in the process of reviewing pending applications and is working towards issuing further decisions on ride hailing applications as expeditiously as possible. The review process is taking time because of the large number of applications that have been filed and the significant volume of materials involved.”

Copies of the decisions can be viewed in the PT Board Bulletin of Jan. 23, 2020.

With files from the Vancouver Courier.