Sault to finally decide on ride-sharing services like Uber, Lyft

Ordered almost three years ago, the ride-sharing analysis is one of 60 uncompleted directives from City Council. Thirty-six were moved or seconded by Coun. Shoemaker

The long-awaited ride-sharing report will be completed during the third quarter of 2019. Or so we're told

Almost four years after Sault Ste. Marie Police Service threatened to charge any Uber driver found operating on local streets, City Council is expected to finally decide the legal status of ride-sharing services here.

"It's close," says Mayor Christian Provenzano.

"We are close," agrees city solicitor Karen Fields.

"The bylaw is drafted," Fields divulged during a discussion last week concerning 60 unfulfilled City Council dating back as far as six-and-a-half years.

"We now have it out to some stakeholders to review. It will be going also to police to see if they can agree to everything we've asked them to do to through policy and licensing, etc."

"We are hoping to have responses back from stakeholders and then finalizing changes that need to be made to the bylaw," Fields said.

In November, 2015, city police announced they were prepared to charge Uber drivers for operating vehicles for hire in contravention of Sault Ste. Marie's taxi bylaw.

But less than three months later, the police were less certain and decided to pass the issue back to City Council.

At their Sept. 26, 2016 meeting, councillors directed then-city-solicitor Nuala Kenny to form a special committee to analyze newly implemented ridesharing regulations and engage community and industry stakeholders, reporting back to council with a plan of action.

In January of this year, the city's legal staff reported that no ride-sharing services were operating in the Sault, but the special committee had yet to be assembled.

The update on outstanding requests presented to City Council last week promised the ride-sharing report would be completed during the third quarter of 2019.

Of 60 unexecuted council resolutions, 36 were moved or seconded by hard-driving Ward 3 Coun. Matthew Shoemaker.

Other decisions reached at last week's City Council meeting:

city staff will develop a comprehensive streets plan for the area bordered by Willow Ave., Northern Ave., Pine St. and McNabb, after councillors voted to add bike lanes on Pine and Willow, rejecting neighbourhood concerns about loss of on-street parking
provision will be made in next year's capital budget to open a previously unopened road allowance from the east limit of Northern Ave. southerly through Panoramic Dr. to Princeton Dr.
$5 beer and $3 hot dogs, french fries and popcorn will be offered at selected GFL Memorial Gardens concessions as part of a one-year trial of 'fan-friendly' pricing
city staff will try to come up with a more cohesive design for municipally owned parking lots at Bay Tower and Lions Place