Ride-hailing debate in Halifax: five things to know.

Halifax Regional Council will debate a staff-recommended bylaw change that would require ride-hailing drivers to submit background-check documents to the municipality, and Uber Canada has opposed the proposal, saying it would add fees and administrative burden.

Halifax Regional Council is set to consider a staff-recommended bylaw amendment that would increase municipal oversight of drivers for ride-hailing companies. The proposal would align ride-hailing driver documentation with rules now applied to taxi and limousine drivers by requiring those records be submitted to the municipality. Company representatives and some elected officials have raised concerns about added costs and administrative work. Council approved a motion to defer formal debate for two weeks ahead of the scheduled meeting on Jan. 27. Key points: - The staff recommendation would require ride-hailing drivers to submit background-check documents to the municipality, similar to taxi and limousine drivers. - Current practice has ride-hailing drivers submit documents to their employer rather than directly to municipal staff. - Required checks include criminal record scans, child-abuse screening, and police checks for work with vulnerable people, as reported by municipal staff. - Mayor Andy Fillmore voiced opposition to the recommended approach, saying it would add red tape and raise costs; he proposed alternatives such as data-sharing agreements and recurring audits. - Uber Canada has publicly opposed the changes, saying they would add fees and administrative burden; the company cited proposed new fees of $135 plus $100 every two years and encouraged drivers to contact council. - Uber launched service in Halifax in 2020 and Lyft began operating in the area more recently, according to the report. Summary: The proposed bylaw aims to bring ride-hailing driver documentation under the same municipal review process used for taxis, which supporters say would centralize oversight and critics say would add cost and bureaucracy. Council delayed formal debate for two weeks and is expected to address the matter at its next meeting on Jan. 27.