Uber hosts grand opening at Victoria International Airport

Uber launches in Victoria After a bumpy road, ride-hailing giant Uber has finally hit the streets of Greater Victoria.

It's official, ride-hailing giant Uber has finally started operations in Victoria.

Uber kicked off its service in Victoria with a grand opening event at the Victoria International Airport (YYJ) on Tuesday.

When the ride-hailing operator was applying to operate in B.C., YYJ was one of the groups that voiced support for Uber, saying it would like to see more transportation options to and from the airport.

"It’s been a long journey for Uber to operate in Greater Victoria. With air travel continuing to rebound at YYJ, we welcome the addition of this popular ground transportation option for our travellers," said Geoff Dickson, president and CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority.

Uber can take passengers on trips around Greater Victoria, extending from downtown Victoria to Langford and the Saanich Peninsula, including the Swartz Bay ferry terminal.

Dedicated rideshare pick-up stalls have also been set up at YYJ in the short term parking lot.

"Just in time for a busy summer season, we are excited to bring rideshare to more British Columbians," said Michael van Hemmen, general manager of Uber Canada in a statement Tuesday.

"Residents and visitors coming through YYJ now have a safe, affordable, and reliable option to help get them where they need to go, when they need to,” he said. "And for those with a safe driving record, a flexible opportunity to earn money on their own time."

"We’d like to thank the city governments in both cities, the province, and Victoria Airport Authority for their support in bringing ridesharing to Victoria and Kelowna."

Uber was approved to operate in the Victoria region on May 10, after the B.C. Passenger Transportation Safety Board (PTB) approved a licence transfer from the Vancouver-based ReRyde to Uber.

Uber had previously applied for its own licence, but was rejected by the PTB, which said that local taxi operators and ride-hailing companies needed more time to recover from the pandemic, and that there wasn't enough demand in the region for another service.