Dear Mr. Caslin;
I read with great interest the reports of Uber’s visit to Niagara and Uber Public Policy Manager Chris Schafer’s presentation to the Niagara Regional Police Services Board.
Schafer maintains that there’s “an opportunity here in the Region of Niagara to be real leaders and embrace this opportunity and to be first out of the gate in Canada”, according to The St. Catharines Standard. I agree with him.
Where Uber already exists, in cities like Toronto, Kitchener and Ottawa, people are making it clear, by the sheer number of them choosing to use Uber, that there is demand for this type of service. Uber reports more than a million rides a month in Ontario are being taken since their app launched here. Riders are voting with their smartphones and demonstrating they want this option.
I am a strong believer in the opportunities businesses like Uber provide. As you well know, Niagara families continue to struggle to make ends meet and many are still unemployed, or underemployed. How many families in Niagara are capable of handling an unexpected expense? For those families, the additional income a sharing economy business, like Uber, provides would be a minor miracle.
Uber would be beneficial to Niagara on a number of other issues as well.
There have been a high number of serious accidents on Niagara roadways, and we continue to have one of the highest rate of impaired driving charges based on population according to Statistics Canada. With Uber’s flexibility and reliability Niagara residents – many of whom do not live near public transit or cab services – have new options for getting a ride when they’ve been drinking. Ridesharing with an Uber driver can help reduce the instances of impaired driving in Niagara. A study of impaired driving in Seattle after Uber launched in the city saw a reduction of 10 per cent in impaired driving incidents.
The affordability of Uber will also benefit low income families as well as charitable organizations with mandates to provide transportation.
I believe so strongly in the potential of sharing economy businesses and the innovation they bring to our province, that I am currently writing a Private Member’s Bill to address the issue. The goal of my Bill is to provide a province wide framework for sharing economy businesses like Uber to operate under clear rules, give people an opportunity to earn more income from assets they already own and make life more affordable. I would greatly enjoy your advice as I finalize my Bill.
Representing a riding where we have had too many accidents, I encourage you, and other leaders in Niagara, to support Uber’s expansion into the region and the economic opportunities it will create.
Sincerely,
Tim Hudak MPP
Niagara West – Glanbrook