Resident makes case for Uber to come to Festival City

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Although some Stratford residents may have seen a few cars driving around town with “Uber” stickers in their windows, by and large the American ride sharing platform isn’t in Stratford yet.

Tia Petrie, a Stratford resident, means to change that.

At the April 30 infrastructure, transportation, and safety committee meeting, Petrie petitioned the committee and council to do two things.

“Separate taxi licensing from ride-share licensing,” Petrie said. “They are two different things that can work to serve our community in tandem. Secondly, two councillors (one to move, one to second) put forth a motion to have staff explore the obligations of the municipality to welcome ride share programs to Stratford and implement those programs immediately.”

Petrie argued that the city’s current taxi companies, which are mandated by the Stratford Police Service’s board to charge only a flat fee no matter how short or long a trip is (currently the cost is $14 for a standard fare), are not an economical option for many residents and that ride share apps like Uber are a much better option.

Furthermore, given the city’s reliance on tourism, the platform would be a boon to tourists who likely already have the app on their phone.

Currently, there is some confusion around whether or not ride sharing would be allowed to operate in the city under the current taxi licencing bylaw. While Petrie claimed that ride sharing may not be included in the bylaw, and thus not able to be licenced, ride share drivers have “an absolute legal definition in Canada” and should be allowed to operate in the city.

When Coun. Harjinder Nijjar inquired with the clerk and deputy clerk after Petrie’s presentation, deputy clerk Amy Pascual indicated that staff are currently looking at the legal definitions for what the bylaw says and that they had no additional information for the committee at that time.

During her presentation, Petrie also said that her petition that day was necessitated due to being banned from all three of Stratford’s taxi companies, allegedly for advocating for Uber on Facebook community groups.

While representatives from Aunt Gail’s Taxi and Radio Cab did not respond to a request for comment, Brad Rickert of Stratford City Cabs confirmed that Petrie was banned from their businesses, though claimed that she was banned for past behaviour well before she made any Facebook post about Uber.

Moreover, Rickert said he wasn’t worried about Uber coming to Stratford at all.

“Uber is never going to happen,” Rickert said. “There's not enough business within the city to make it make sense. The situation doesn't work because the price they charge, there's no profit to the driver, so no one's going to stick around to do it. … I'm not as worried about it, because the business model doesn't work in something of our size.”

After Petrie’s presentation, the committee passed a motion to investigate the City of Stratford’s current bylaw to possibly allow for Uber or other ridesharing platforms in the city.

The matter will come back to council at a later date for further discussion.

Coincidentally, the taxi licencing bylaw is set for review in the near future as well. With increasing cost pressures, representatives from all three companies successfully petitioned the police board to work with the city to create a more equitable and sustainable licencing and fare system, though no update has been made since the board made a motion last year.