During its September 17 corporate priorities meeitng, Cold Lake city council discussed the potential of introducing ride-sharing services like Uber but ultimately decided to maintain the current transportation system, which includes traditional taxi services and public transit.
Despite initial interest in exploring alternative transportation options, the council voted to keep the existing Taxi Bylaw unchanged. Any ride-sharing providers seeking to operate in Cold Lake would be required to adhere to the same regulations as traditional taxis.
“This report here is to start a discussion with city council on whether you would like administration to present some bylaw amendments that would promote alternative transportation modes such as ride-sharing,” said CAO Kevin Nagoya during the meeting. He acknowledged that the topic could spark differing opinions but emphasized that ride-sharing services would need to operate under the current framework without modifications.
Nagoya also pointed out that some ride-sharing programs might have difficulty fitting within the current Taxi Bylaw. He suggested that these programs don’t necessarily align with the framework of the existing bylaw and that significant changes would be needed to accommodate services like Uber.
Councilor Ryan Bailey questioned whether any major ride-sharing companies have shown interest in Cold Lake. Nagoya confirmed that there had been no formal outreach but noted complaints from some taxi operations alleging that Uber was already operating unofficially in town. However, these claims have not been substantiated.
Bailey voiced his support for more transportation options, citing personal experience with ride-sharing in larger cities like Edmonton. “When you’re in Edmonton, Uber is three minutes away, and you’re on your way to where you need to go,” he said, adding that while Cold Lake’s taxi system is reliable, it can sometimes lack convenience.
Mayor Craig Copeland expressed caution, preferring to support the local taxi system and Cold Lake’s free transit services. “I just would rather keep with the taxis and the free transit,” he said, pointing to improvements already made in the city’s taxi services.
Councilor Chris Vining stated that the ride-sharing was not an immediate concern. He explained that, at the moment, there were no direct requests from services like Uber or Lyft to set up in the area. Vining suggested that the council should address the issue if demand for these services increases.
In the end, the council voted to maintain the status quo, ensuring that any future ride-sharing services will have to operate under the existing Taxi Bylaw, requiring them to function like traditional taxi services.
