Metro Vancouver could have regional ride-hailing licence model in place by Friday

A regional framework for ride-hailing in Metro Vancouver could be decided on as early as Friday but it remains to be seen whether Surrey will go along with the plan.

"You'll have to wait till tomorrow to find that out," a smiling Surrey Mayor Doug McCallumsaid to reporters, after a TransLink Mayors' Council meeting that revealed no new public details about a regional business licence model.

In December, the Mayors' Council voted to adopt a one-size-fits-all framework for the region. TransLink promised that an interim model would be in place by the end of January, andMayors' Council chair Jonathan Cotsaid they would be going down to the wire to meet that deadline.

"I'll be in a much better place tomorrow ... to talk more about the specific details that are being put forward," saidCot, shortly before mayors were scheduled to meet in private to discuss the topic.

"I would expect the vast majority to sign on, but it is possible that there may be one or two municipalities that for their own reasonsdecide not to join in the regional approach."

After the report is released, councils across the region will be asked to pass the new regulations over the next two months.

McCallum was the only mayor in December to vote against a regional modeland hasvowed to block ride-hailing unless rules for them are the same as for taxis. Uber has already asked the B.C. Supreme Court to grant an injunction against Surrey to prevent bylaw officers from issuing fines to its drivers.

Patchwork of regulations

Metro Vancouver has 21 municipalitiesand the wayride-hailing companies operate in each of them varies widely.

Some municipal councils have passed bylawsaround the feesfor business licences ranging from $25 avehiclein Delta to $510 in Burnaby. Some have not taken action. And the neighbouring municipalities of Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam have adopted a sub-regional system.

But the province threatened to take over jurisdictionif the patchworkcontinued, andCotsaid he was hopeful a solution could be found soon even if the details are to be hashed out behind closed doors.

"This is about actually respecting the work that city staff have been working towards," he said.

"We don't want to see a patchwork of regional regulation. Sofar we've been very encouraged that all of these citieshave worked really collaboratively together to build consensus on this."

Staff from Surrey have been part of the discussions,Cotsaid. But it remained to be seen whether a framework could be developed that would satisfy McCallum.

"We campaigned very hard on not supporting ride-hailing without a level playing field with the taxi industry," said McCallum."Our taxi industry employs a lot of our citizens in Surrey, and we're going to protect their jobs."