Tracey Cook says Uber didn't bully city into passing legislation

Themanager behind the city's move to regulate Uber in Toronto said she didn't negotiate with the company or bow to its demands.

Instead, Tracey Cook, thecity's executive director of licensing and standards, said Toronto had to regulate the ride-hailing service to keep people who flocked to the service safe.

• Toronto taxi cab drivers protest after city issues Uber a license
• Uber's invasion of Canada snarled by municipal red tape

This week, the city licensed Uber as a Private Transportation Company (PTC) and announced city staff will be checking the background of everyone who drives for the company, including those who use their own car to work as an UberX driver, by the end of September.

The taxi industry, which has opposed Uber since its arrival in Toronto, blasted the move to license Uber. Many accused Cook and the city of giving Uber, the multi-billion dollar company that's exploded in major cities around the world, whatever it wants.

Cook, speaking on CBC Radio's Metro Morning, said that's absolutely not the case.

"They certainly didn't bully me around," she said.

Cook said making Uber a PTC gives the city some oversight of the company and will ensure things like proper insurance are in place. Uber had already taken steps to protect passengers, Cook said, but this step will enhance rider safety.

Eventually, the city is expecting to issue roughly 12,000 licenses to Uber drivers, and Cook said there's a plan in place to make sure drivers are complying with the city's rules.

Cook said the city consulted with Uber during the process as well as the ride-hailing services Lyft and RideCo but did not negotiate with the company. City staff also evaluated what was being done in other major American and Canadian cities, which have all dealt with Uber in different ways.

Taxi drivers want Uber off the road

At a protest earlier this week, cab drivers expressed frustration with the move and called on Cook to keep Uber drivers off the road until their backgrounds are checked.

Allowing Uber to keep operating, taxi representatives said, shows that the city has no respect for full-time drivers who have had their earnings cut dramatically since Uber's arrival.

Cook said she does want to see the taxi industry succeed, and pointedto some advantages traditional cabs still have. For example, only cabs will be able to do street hails.

"My biggest concern around private vehicles being on the road is that people are going to start street hailing, and they may be getting into strangers' cars that have not been vetted," she said.

Cook said the city realized early on that there would be no way to ban Uber, as it was clear the public wanted more transportation options.

Airbnb battle looming?

Metro Morning host Matt Galloway also asked Cook if the city was in for a similar battle with Airbnb, as concerns over that service mount in the city.

• Condo owners call on city to rein in Airbnb

"Oh lord, I hope not," Cook responded with a laugh.

She said she's hoping the city can work with Airbnb in a collaborative way to address the issues raised by some condo owners in the city.

Cook said she sees some similarities between the two situations. As with Uber, "some people are going to love it. Some people are going to hate it. We have to address it," she said.