Canucks and Christine Sinclair fans lead to busy night in Vancouver

Canucks and Christine Sinclair fans lead to massively busy night in Vancouver

@almoonir/X | AlbertArt/Shutterstock

It was a busy night downtown, to say the least. The Canucks game fell on the same night as Christine Sinclair’s final match, and the aftermath has left many with more than a hangover.

Many are likely shocked to learn just how much they spent not only a game beers but trying to get home following the games.

Quite the welcome for @CANWNT and @sincy12 at @bcplace pic.twitter.com/ylAFO41ahW

— Almoonir Dewji (@almoonir) December 6, 2023

With more than 65,000 people at BC Place, Rogers Arena, and the Cirque Du Soleil events all around the same time, it was among the busiest nights Vancouver has seen in ages.

Tonight’s the night! ⚽️🏟️ We asked a few #ChristineSinclair fans outside of ‘Christine Sinclair Place’ tonight about how the soccer icon has inspired them personally.

Let us know how Christine Sinclair has inspired you! ✨ pic.twitter.com/k11A5qzrvZ

— Daily Hive Vancouver (@DailyHiveVan) December 6, 2023

And with it, annoyances mounted over getting into the area, as rush hour combined with the crowd. Plus, many arrived late for BC Place, and with 48,000 people in attendance, the lineups were long to get inside.

@bcplace thousands of people still outside, and the match already started 🙃 pic.twitter.com/D2g4XSQbfx

— Claudia ☻ (@claudiaadp) December 6, 2023

Games already started, thanks @bcplace ! pic.twitter.com/v5XhbCsS3Q

— blue collar hipster (john in vancouver) (@Johnny_Tins) December 6, 2023

Thanks for all the memories, Captain Canada. #christinesinclair pic.twitter.com/1R8S493iqG

— Kathryn (@astroryn) December 6, 2023

Getting home was also a bit of a mess.

While transit offered the cheapest option (other than hoofing it home), long lines at the nearby stations, including Stadium-Chinatown and Vancouver City Centre, seemed to encourage many to seek other methods.

If people noticed a spike in the prices of taking an Uber or a Lyft, it came down to the high volume of customers requesting a ride all around the same time.

According to Uber, it’s surge pricing and it has to do with demand.

“Just like consumers pay higher utility rates during peak hours of the day or pay more for a hotel room when a big convention is in town, the total price to ride with Uber flexes to respond to supply and demand,” the company told Daily Hive.

“Surge pricing is automatically activated by software that detects the balance or imbalance in rider demand and driver availability, in real-time, all over a city,” the company said, adding “when exceptional circumstances warrant it — such as in major emergencies that impact public safety — our teams will assess the situation and manually override dynamic pricing in the area.”

Prices last night seemed to be a bit more reasonable, with only a few extra bucks for the same route, possibly as a result of more drivers on the roads or the more positive weather. Or did more people take cabs?

Uber or Lyft on the previous Canucks home game night was going for upwards of $50 between the arena and Kitsilano. The price of a cab, however, was only about $15 with a tip included for the same distance at the same time.

Unlike ride-sharing, taxis have a fixed rate per kilometre and can only increase it with the approval of the Passenger Transportation Board — it doesn’t matter if the Canucks are playing or not. While flat fare zone rates are also in effect for spots like Canada Place Cruise Ship Terminal and the Vancouver International Airport, the demand of passengers doesn’t have any effect on the rates they pay.

The complaints over costs come during a busy week for Uber Canada, as it fights two political moves it says would impact pricing further for customers.

Recently, Toronto made a move to cap the number of rideshare vehicles on the roads and not approve new licences in an effort to reduce congestion and emissions. Council voted to keep the number of ride-hailing vehicles limited until a report on regulating the industry is complete next year.

Uber filed an injunction in the Ontario Supreme Court earlier this week to fight the move, saying that it’s illegal.

“There are a number of consequences for the City of Toronto, its residents, and visitors, which would be the same in any city,” Uber spokesperson Keerthana Rang said.

“[This includes the elimination] of flexible earning opportunities for new drivers in advance of the holidays and at a time when the cost of living is at an all-time high. [And a] decrease in availability of ridesharing will result in an increase in impaired driving.”

It comes just a few weeks after the City of Vancouver said it would be raising the tax per trip on those taking Ubers or Lyfts in the evening, something the company says would lead to those customers paying far and away the highest prices in Canada.

“We are urging Vancouver City Council to reconsider the proposed 67% increase to their road use tax (CCMP) on rideshare trips, especially since they no longer have the legal authority to charge it,” Rang told Daily Hive Urbanized.

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