Uber coming to Sherbrooke

This October, Quebec National Assembly Bill 17, which was tabled mid 2019 will come into effect. The bill is centered around establishing a system of regulation around ridesharing and ride hiring enterprises in the province. In particular, the bill aims to “promote the emergence of technological means and mobility modes (of ride hiring).”
Uber announced yesterday that with the bill going into force and establishing a solid framework around which to base their business, they will be expanding their services to the entire province. Before the announcement, Uber only existed in Quebec as a small pilot project in Montreal, Quebec, and Gatineau. The announcement means that Sherbrooke will inevitably start seeing rides for hire under the uber banner start to pop up in the next couple of months.
“Since the beginning of our pilot programs in Quebec, we have been collaborating with the ministère des Transports and will continue to work with their teams and key industry stakeholders to develop sustainable mobility solutions for everyone, in all regions,” said Jonathan Hamel, Head of Public Affairs for Uber in Quebec. He explained that Uber is grateful that the regulation introduced in Bill 17 is particularly conducive to opening up a ridesharing market in the province.
According to Uber, special steps will be taken to make sure the ridesharing service doesn’t inadvertently cause the spread of COVID-19. Drivers will have a signup checklist to go through before being allowed to take on any customers, and face masks will be required for riders and drivers alike. The service also says it’s implemented safety policies like an in-app emergency button and driver screening to keep passengers safe.
While the expansion to the rest of Quebec hasn’t gone into effect yet, an Uber representative said that prospective drivers can already sign up on their website to be the first ones on the road. In contrast with traditional transportation work like taxi or bus driving, Uber drivers operate on a private contract and are able to choose their working hours.

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