Uber is preparing to take legal action against the City of Surrey to 91裸聊视频渄efend the right to access Uber91裸聊视频檚 apps91裸聊视频� in this city despite what Mayor Doug McCallum says.
91裸聊视频淯ber has filed for an injunction with the Supreme Court of British Columbia to stop the City of Surrey from issuing illegal tickets,91裸聊视频� Michael van Hemmen, Uber91裸聊视频檚 Head of Western Canada, revealed in a press statement Tuesday. 91裸聊视频淭he city91裸聊视频檚 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.91裸聊视频�
He said the injunction being sought is based on two key points: The first is the City of Surrey doesn91裸聊视频檛 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 91裸聊视频� which there is not 91裸聊视频� 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. 91裸聊视频淔or those who continue to operate in Surrey,91裸聊视频� McCallum said during a press conference at city hall, 91裸聊视频渢here will no longer be any warning tickets and any violators caught will be ticketed and face a fine of $500.91裸聊视频�
The mayor argues that taxi drivers are also trying to support their families and need a 91裸聊视频渓evel playing field91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渨ill continue to be available to the residents and visitors of Surrey91裸聊视频� within its service area.
91裸聊视频淚t is highly unfortunate that the mayor is threatening drivers with fines that have no legal basis,91裸聊视频� Uber91裸聊视频檚 statement reads. It notes that Premier John Horgan and Transporation Minister Claire Trevena have been 91裸聊视频渧ery clear that municipalities do not have the authority to prevent ridesharing companies from operating.91裸聊视频�
McCallum came out swinging Monday afternoon, calling a presser to outline the city91裸聊视频檚 position on Uber operating here without a business licence, to which Uber maintains there is no licence it 91裸聊视频渃ould apply for or obtain.91裸聊视频�
According to provincial law, Uber notes, 91裸聊视频渞idesharing is not taxi.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淯ber is supportive of the Inter-Municipal Business Licence,91裸聊视频� its statement reads, 91裸聊视频渁nd looks forward to obtaining an IMBL when it becomes available.91裸聊视频�
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.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 not fair,91裸聊视频� McCallum said. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 no level playing field.91裸聊视频�
He said Uber and other ride-hailing operations 91裸聊视频渃an apply for the same licence taxis apply for.
91裸聊视频淭here is an option to do that.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淎ll we want is a level playing field, and then we welcome ride hailing on an equal basis,91裸聊视频� McCallum said. 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 free enterprise.91裸聊视频�
On Monday night, Councillor Linda Annis presented a notice of motion instructing city staff to prepare a report on ride hailing for council91裸聊视频檚 next meeting, 91裸聊视频渨ith some recommendations.91裸聊视频�
McCallum said the city doesn91裸聊视频檛 want to end up in court over this. 91裸聊视频淔rom Surrey91裸聊视频檚 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.91裸聊视频�
On Tuesday, again at city hall, McCallum was once again peppered with questions on ride hailing, such as his response to Uber91裸聊视频檚 threat of legal action.
91裸聊视频淚 think we always received threats of legal action on a lot of tickets that our bylaw officers do,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 what all cities have.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淣o, I have no concerns,91裸聊视频� he told a reporter who asked about Uber91裸聊视频檚 threat. 91裸聊视频淐ouncil just went over, probably over 150 lawsuits, on Monday, or I don91裸聊视频檛 say lawsuits but legal things against us. Big cities have those things. In fact Surrey has probably fewer than a lot of big cities, we91裸聊视频檙e the 12th largest in Canada. We get lawsuits all the time.91裸聊视频�
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 91裸聊视频渄oes nothing but hurt consumer choice and put public safety at risk.
91裸聊视频淲e know from peer-reviewed research that for every month ride sharing is legal, impaired driving arrests decline by eight per cent,91裸聊视频� Clement said. 91裸聊视频淢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.91裸聊视频�
Bob Bose, who served as Surrey91裸聊视频檚 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.
91裸聊视频淭he administration is acting, it would appear, solely on directives from the mayor91裸聊视频檚 office,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淭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.91裸聊视频�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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