UPDATE 10 PM
The BC Conservatives have now taken down the “Policy Declaration” link!
A newly exposed document shows that a BC Conservative government would dramatically change the taxi industry by removing the level playing field that has been established since the introduction of ride hailing to BC, The VOICE has learned.
This issue is of particular concern to the South Asian community.
The BC Conservative Policy Declaration document on the party’s website says: “The Conservative Party of BC will reform ride sharing legislation to allow drivers with a class 5 license to operate as mandated in other provinces and as how ride sharing companies intended.”
[Item 13.4 on page 20 of the “Policy Declaration (2023)”: https://www.
This would undermine safety and undermine thousands of family supporting jobs held by drivers who hold class 4 licenses.
Under provincial law, ride hail drivers are required to have a class 4 commercial driver’s license, the same class required for taxi drivers. Ridehailing was first introduced to the province in 2019. The requirements have created a level playing field between the two types of drivers.
The class 4 driver’s license is designed to have a higher level of qualification for commercial drivers, to ensure that both drivers and passengers are safe. The BC Conservative plan would allow ride-hailing drivers to operate with only a class 5 license, which is just a standard driver’s license that anyone can get.
