
A new poll from the Angus Reid institute suggests a majority of Canadians support the ride sharing service Uber, as long as it’s regulated in much the same way taxis are.
About 75% of Canadians said they support Uber coming into their communities, while two-thirds think it should be regulated. Only one in six Canadians want it banned altogether.
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Canadians had different thoughts on AirBnB, however. Despite being a sharing service as well, 57% of those polled thought it should operate the same as it is currently, without the same regulations that hotels are subject to.
The feeling of regulating Uber is strongest in Quebec – 72% of people in the province want to see regulations put in place for the ride sharing service. Albertans want to see Uber in their cities the most, however, with 50% saying they’d like it.
However, many Canadians think there needs to be a change in the taxi industry as well. When it comes to competition, 67% of Canadians think taxis need to step up their game to compete with ride sharing services, and 46% think not allowing Uber to operate stifles competition.
Many Canadians share concerns about Uber, however. More than half – 57% – agree with the statement “I don’t feel comfortable with Uber raising prices during peak hours.”
Age was a factor in how those polled answered the questions. Younger Canadians are more comfortable with the idea of a sharing economy, while older ones tend to say they haven’t or would not use a service like Uber or AirBnB.