Lower Mainland mayors, including Surrey, endorse regional ride hailing licence

Mayors in British Columbia's Lower Mainland have reached an agreement on an interim business licence for ride-hailing companies that want to operate in the region.

Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum, who has previously resisted the idea, threw his support behind the interim licence, saying it takes a major step forward in addressing the ``unfair advantage'' ride-hailing companies have over taxi businesses.

The mayors' council on regional transportation, made up of 23 mayors, endorsed the proposed bylaw covering Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Squamish-Lillooet on Thursday, with the details released publicly on Friday.

The council urged municipalities to begin adopting the interim bylaw as soon as possible, which would be in place until a permanent regional licence can be developed.

The proposed bylaw would establish a single set of requirements for all participating municipalities, charging ride-hailing companies a $155 annual fee plus a $150 per-vehicle charge, which would be waived for accessible vehicles.

The fee would be set at $30 for zero-emissions vehicles.