The wheels of ride-hailing throughout the Fraser Valley are in motion.
During one of their June meetings, the Vancouver City Council approved Lyft and Uber for inter-municipal ride-hailing licences. Harrison Hot Springs is one of the participating municipalities in the inter-municipal business license (IMBL) agreement as are a number of destinations throughout the Fraser Valley, including Chilliwack and Abbotsford. The IMBL agreement allows Lyft and Uber to pick up and drop off passengers across the lower mainland using only one business licence.
In addition to holding the IMBL, ride-hailing companies that operate in the Lower Mainland must also hold a Provincial Transportation Network Service (TNS) license, which both Lyft and Uber received in January.
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The annual cost for an IMBL is $155. Per-vehicle IMBL fees are $150 per standard and $30 for each zero-emission vehicle. Wheelchair accessible vehicles are exempt from this fee.
RELATED: Village of Harrison explores ride-sharing regulations
Back in March, the Village of Harrison Hot Springs Council approved bylaws needed to help ride-sharing move forward in the area. The two bylaws would help regulate IMBLs and allow Harrison to enter into an agreement with 24 other partnering municipalities to receive a percentage of tax revenue generated from ride-hailing companies. The village would not have to administer the IMBLs as that business is conducted through Vancouver.
The other partnering municipalities are: Bowen Island, Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Coquitlam, Delta, Maple Ridge, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, Squamish, Whistler, Pitt Meadows, Vancouver, Langley City, New Westminster, North Vancouver, Port Coquitlam, White Rock, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Langley Township, Anmore and Lions Bay.
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