Port Coquitlam is the first city in the Tri-Cities to give a municipal ride-hailing licence a vote of confidence.
Tuesday, city council gave first three readings to bylaws to allow an inter-municipal business licence (IMBL) that would permit ride-hailing companies to operate in Port Coquitlam and other Metro Vancouver municipalities using a single business licence.
Fourth and final approval is still needed but for now it appears PoCo has the lead when it comes to welcoming Uber, Lyft and other approved ride-hailing services into the region.
Once all 25 municipalities give it the OK, with Coquitlam and Port Moody to review it soon, the city of Vancouver will be given the job of issuing the licences and administrating the municipal licence.
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“Port Coquitlam took an early leadership role in pushing for a regional, common-sense approach to business licensing for ride sharing that was not overly onerous or cost prohibitive,” Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West said in a press release. “This gives our residents another important and convenient way to get around, something they have been wanting for a long time.”
The annual licensing fee for each company will be $155, which avoids companies having to pay a different fee in each municipality. Companies will also pay an annual vehicle fee of $150 per standard vehicle and $30 for each zero-emission vehicle. There is no fee for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
According to the city, the program is intended to pay for itself, with licensing fees covering the costs for the city of Vancouver to establish and administer the program. Any remaining revenues will be shared among participating municipalities based on the percentage of pick-ups and drop-offs in each city.
The new licensing program was developed collaboratively by staff from 25 participating municipalities following direction of the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation to develop an IMBL through a fast-tracked process.
Municipal staffs will continue to work together in the coming months to monitor the new process and make recommendations for changes as needed.
