Council rejects rule changes that were to pave way for Uber Black

City council has rejected proposed changes to Calgary's limousine bylaw that would have paved the way for new ride-hailing services like Uber Black to enter the market.

As it stands,limorides have tobe booked at least 30 minutes ahead of time and the minimum fare is $84.60.

City staff recommend eliminating that pre-booking requirement and lowering the minimum fee to $25, while also introducing a distance-based fare system to replace the existing hourly ratefor limos.

That would have allowed companies like Uber to use GPS-enabled and city-approved apps rather than traditional taxi meters.

But on Monday night city councillors rejected the plan, instructing administration to come up with more options for regulating new on-demand transportation services in time for the Nov. 16 council meeting.

Council's decision to put off reforming the limo regulations prompted Uber to issue a statement late Monday night critical of the way the issue has been handled in Calgary.

"While we remain committed to working collaboratively, the City took over 14 months to attempt to make minor amendments to the limousine bylaw," said Xavier Van Chau, Uber's spokesman for Canada.

"Given this lengthy process, today's sudden action to rapidly develop ridesharing regulations concerns us as it seems motivated by a desire to prevent a launch of new and affordable transportation alternatives in Calgary."