Thousands of dormant Uber apps may spring to life in Greater Victoria with news the Passenger Transportation Board has approved a licence transfer that will allow the ride-hailing giant to operate in the region.
This week the board, an independent tribunal that considers applications for taxi, bus, limousine and ride-hailing services, agreed to allow the transfer to Uber of Richmond-based ReRyde Technologies’ operating licence for Victoria and Kelowna.
ReRyde, which was given its licence to operate in the summer of 2020, never ran its service in Victoria. It was given approval to operate in every region of B.C. other than the Lower Mainland and Whistler.
“Victoria and Kelowna, you are one step closer to requesting a ride with the tap of a button,” Uber spokeswomen Laura Miller said in a statement. “We plan to launch soon and will provide more information in the coming days.”
Uber has been preparing the ground in Victoria for months. Last fall the company held seminars to attract potential drivers.
Miller noted the service offered in Victoria and Kelowna will be the same as it is in the Lower Mainland and 140 other municipalities across Canada.
Thousands of residents already have the app on their phones, she said.
Uber, which has operated on the Lower Mainland and in Whistler since January 2020, applied for a licence to operate in Victoria in the summer of 2021. The application was turned down in December of that year.
At the time, the board said there was a lack of public need, and Uber’s presence in the market could harm smaller operators and taxis.
Uber argued the conditions have since changed and demand for services returned as the pandemic waned.
The board acknowledged there was plenty of opposition to allowing Uber to operate in Victoria and Kelowna.
In Victoria, existing ride-hailing companies Lucky to Go and Kabu-Ride both submitted arguments against allowing Uber to join the ranks.
Lucky to Go asked the board to revoke licences where operations never commenced, and suggested Uber used the licence-transfer option to circumvent the approval process. Kabu argued the board should delay approval until it is clear how well the province is faring economically.
Several cab companies also voiced their opposition, with many saying Uber is circumventing the approval process, and that Uber’s financial resources and ability to attract drivers will have a significant impact on the Victoria ride-hailing and taxi business.
There was little that would have stopped the licence transfer. According to the board, it considers only whether the licence-transfer applicant — Uber in this case — is fit and capable of providing the service.
The board does not assess whether the application addresses public need or promotes sound economic conditions, since those criteria were considered when the licence was first granted to ReRyde.
In its decision, the board acknowledged the concerns raised and said it has some power to limit Uber by amending terms and conditions of a licence during the transfer process.
As a result, the board directed Uber to provide three months’ notice prior commencing operations outside of Victoria and Kelowna, which would provide time for the board to consider whether the terms and conditions ought to be amended.
