Halifax council postpones debate on bylaw proposing increased oversight for Uber

The Uber app is seen on an iPhone near a driver's vehicle in Vancouver, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

HALIFAX — Halifax regional council has postponed a debate about a proposed bylaw requiring more oversight for drivers working for ride-hailing companies like Uber.

The discussion was supposed to happen Tuesday, but Mayor Andy Fillmore won approval to defer the discussion to a later date.

Uber Canada has been vocal in its opposition to the proposed changes, saying they would lead to higher fares, too much red tape and additional fees for drivers.

Last month, council was presented with a staff report recommending the requirements for all ride-hailing services be brought in line with rules covering all taxi and limousine companies. Under the existing system, taxi and limousine drivers must send the municipality results from training and background checks, which include scans for criminal records, child abuse allegations and a police check for those working with vulnerable people.

While ride-hailing drivers are subject to the same checks and training, the staff report says oversight is currently provided by companies like Uber, not the municipality.

Coun. Sam Austin says the municipality should require access to those background checks.

Uber Canada has said it’s willing to share that information with the municipality, but Austin said the handover should be automatic.

“If they already have it all, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for it to be provided to us,” he said in an interview Monday, adding that more oversight is a must.

There’s not always been the best of behaviour … with some of these companies,” he said.

“You don’t have to (search) much to find challenges. And the taxi industry has had its fair share, too .... I’m always a little bit skeptical of those who say, `Don’t worry about this, we’re handling it,’ when someone has a financial incentive not to handle it.”

In response to the mayor, council agreed to split their motion to amend the existing bylaw into two components. The first component would address changes allowing more flexible pricing for taxi and limousine companies to level the playing field with ride-hailing companies that now change their rates based on demand.

The second would cover the council’s proposal to increase oversight of ride-hailing companies.

A spokesman for Uber could not be immediately reached for comment.

The company’s Canadian office has said its drivers are licensed through the Uber platform and that the city’s proposed changes would create redundant training and an additional $135 in fees, resulting in a more expensive service and a slower onboarding process for new drivers. Uber drivers will have to pay an additional $100 every two years after meeting the initial requirements, the company has said.

As well, Uber has said the region’s licensing manager already has the authority to request documents regarding Uber drivers to determine if they are complying with all applicable laws.

Brian Herman, president of Casino Taxi in Halifax, says Halifax’s proposal is reasonable. “It’s just to ensure that all the drivers that are transporting people for hire have passed the appropriate checks,” said Herman, who leads the largest and oldest taxi company in the region.

“The municipality shouldn’t necessarily rely on an independent company to claim that their drivers (have proper background checks).”

Uber Canada has argued the rules in Halifax are already more stringent than in other cities. But Herman challenged that claim, saying the provincial requirements for getting a Class 4 vehicle-for-hire licence were loosened in 2020 to entice Uber set up shop in Halifax.

The need for more oversight in Halifax is part of a wider trend, Herman said.

“When the (ride-hailing companies) came along, regulators threw open the doors and welcomed everybody in,” he said.

“They took the bait that said regulations were not required because a customer can rate a driver (on an app) with a five-star or a one-star. Across the board, people are recognizing that type of process isn’t necessarily what it’s cracked up to be.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2026.

Michael MacDonald, The Canadian Press