Vancouver taxi industry set to partner with ride hailing app Kater before new rules come into effect

A new agreement has been reached allowing the Vancouver Taxi Association to use a percentage of its new licenses to launch its own version of ride hailing. It means that Kater is set to become the first ridesharing company to operate in B.C.

Kater is a company based in Surrey, and they may begin testing its app as early as this spring - well in advance of the provincial government's timeline of fall 2019. It means the company will be ride hailing in name only - because is still going to have to operate under the current rules and licencing restrictions, and will have to charge regular taxi fares.

Liberal MLA Jas Johal says this partnership is not in the best interest of consumers, and more needs to be done to bring about the kind of services the public want.

Guest: Michael Van Hemmen

Uber Canada's general manager of cities

A new agreement has been reached allowing the Vancouver Taxi Association to use a percentage of its new licenses to launch its own version of ride hailing. It means that Kater is set to become the first ridesharing company to operate in B.C.

Kater is a company based in Surrey, and they may begin testing its app as early as this spring - well in advance of the provincial government's timeline of fall 2019. It means the company will be ride hailing in name only - because is still going to have to operate under the current rules and licencing restrictions, and will have to charge regular taxi fares.

Liberal MLA Jas Johal says this partnership is not in the best interest of consumers, and more needs to be done to bring about the kind of services the public want.

Guest: Michael Van Hemmen

Uber Canada's general manager of cities