SURREY Mayor Doug McCallum on Thursday refused to compromise on his stand against ride-hailing even as all others on the TransLink Mayors’ Council voted for fast-tracking a business licence for ride-hailing companies in the region. The goal is to have an interim set of rules by the end of January.

McCallum noted: “A large majority of our residents do not support ride-hailing in Surrey.” He added: “It’s not a level playing field. There are a lot of differences of levels that are not consistent between ride-hailing and taxis.”

Last August, McCallum said in a statement: “In the wake of the Passenger Transportation Board announcement of further ride-hailing regulations in B.C. last week, my position has remained consistent for years: I do not support ride-hailing.

“These new regulations would allow ride-hailing companies the ability to pick up across boundaries, while the taxi industry must abide by limits. This would create an unlevel playing field.

“I am also not in favour of allowing unlimited fleet size for ride-hailing companies. This lack of regulation will negatively impact the environment and increase congestion. It will also negatively impact the existing taxi industry, which has loyally served Metro Vancouver’s residents for decades.”

McCallum said he had sent a letter to Premier John Horgan voicing his concerns and would continue to advocate for the taxi industry.