Michael van Hemmen, head of Western Canada for Uber, addresses the media during a news conference in Vancouver B.C, Wednesday, January 29, 2020. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward)
Uber has been granted a licence from the City of Winnipeg to begin to operate its ride-sharing service within the next few weeks.
Obtaining a regulatory licence was one of the final hurdles for Uber, who has been trying to enter the Manitoba market for years. One of the main sticking points was agreeing to an insurance model set forth by Manitoba Public Insurance.
The next step involves recruiting enough drivers to have a fleet ready to handle demand once the service goes online.
Uber is looking to sign up qualified drivers and offering a $500 incentive to the first 100 drivers who complete 20 trips following the launch.
“With news of Uber receiving its dispatch licence, Winnipeg finally has an international rideshare company entering the market,” Mayor Brian Bowman said in a statement.
“It’s been a long road but it’s great to see a recognizable company like Uber will soon be an option for residents and visitors to Winnipeg.”
Winnipeg is currently home to a handful of other ride-sharing services, particularly TappCar, which has been operating in the city since March of 2018.
