Turo: the Airbnb of cars launches in Quebec

Turo lets people rent out their own cars

Another company is moving into the car-sharing market in Quebec.

Turo, which debuted as RelayRides in 2009 and now operates in more than 2,500 cities, facilitates vehicle rentals between car owners and anyone needing a ride. It officially launched Tuesday in three provinces as its first step outside the United States.

People in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec hoping to make money from their cars register them online to rent them to other Turo members.

Turo determines the rental cost of available vehicles each day based on data like the car's market value, location and time of year. The company pockets 25 per cent of the rental fee, which includes a charge for the owner's insurance coverage during the rental.

The move into Quebec comes on the same day as Communauto expanded its services in Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax.

Communauto, which has operated in Quebec since 1994, allows drivers to rent cars by the day, week or half-hour.

Several years ago it launched the app-driven Auto-Mobile, where drivers can pick up cars and leave them throughout the city, and pay a per-minute rate.

On Tuesday Auto-Mobile added 275 new cars, 25 of them all-electric, for a fleet of 550 cars in Montreal. The company also expanded its Quebec City fleet to 55 vehicles, all hybrids.

Insurance a problem

Provincially regulated insurance rules have made a seamless transition north of the border difficult for Turo.

The limited launch Tuesday "was the most expedient way for Turo to bring peer-to-peer sharing to Canada," said Cedric Mathieu, Turo's director of Canada, in an emailed statement.

Turo has partnered with Intact Financial Corp. and Belairdirect to provide insurance for Canadian clients, a move that will make the service more attractive to customers, said CEO Andre Haddad.

Anyone living in or visiting Alberta, Ontario and Quebec -- and approved by Turo's verification system, which takes into account driving history -- can rent a vehicle. They can choose to opt out of insurance, or add basic or premium coverage when renting -- at 15 or 40 per cent of the trip's price.

Any claims that arise from a Turo car rental have no impact on the owner's personal insurance, said Stephanie Sorensen, director of external communications and corporate social responsibility for Intact.

But it's not so simple for people looking to rent out their cars, as insurance companies grapple with how to provide coverage.

Only car owners insured by Intact Insurance and Belairdirect who live in those three provinces can list their vehicles on Turo. The insurers have modified their offerings to allow their customers to rent out their vehicles, said Mathieu.

"Moving forward, we are working with other leading Canadian insurers to modify their terms and conditions to enable their customers to also participate in peer-to-peer car sharing," he said.

The company also plans to move to other provinces and is "working with each province's unique insurance laws and regulatory framework to make this happen," said Mathieu.

The insurance issue is one that has consistently cropped up for companies that have aimed to disrupt more traditional business models.

Ride-hailing service Uber recently temporarily suspended operations in Edmonton and Calgary after the Alberta government announced it would not make insurance available to drivers until the summer and require them to hold a commercial licence.

Airbnb, which allows people to rent a portion or all of their home to travellers, hit a stumbling block when some homeowners complained their places were trashed. One Calgary family, for example, were left with $75,000 in damage following a raging house party.

Airbnb, which offers up to $1 million for property damage in certain situations, said it would pay for the repairs.

With a file from The Canadian Press