Uber offering discounted rides to COVID-19 vaccination appointments in Vancouver

Metro Vancouver residents who are facing transportation barriers can now receive free or subsidized rides to and from their COVID-19 vaccination appointments.

The initiative is being provided by Uber Canada. The company says that they’re donating up to 9,900 rides, or $148,500 in promotional codes.

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These rides will be available to individuals who face barriers such as a lack of transportation options or affordability, or need assistance due to mobility, visual, or cognitive impairment.

In order to register for a free or subsidized ride, people who need assistance with transportation can call or text 211. A navigator will then assess the caller’s needs and provide a unique code that can be used on the Uber app.

According to the company, each code is good for $15 off two rides to and from the vaccination appointment. Similar initiatives are being run in other major Canadian cities, including Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, and Toronto.

“COVID-19 has been a challenge like no other in Vancouver, across Canada and around the world. But with vaccines on their way, there is hope on the horizon that we can come together, conquer the pandemic, and build back stronger,” said Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart in a statement.

“We all need to do everything we can to remove barriers between people and safe, life-changing vaccines, and that’s what this generous commitment is all about.”

According to the provincial government, as of June 15, 76.1% of all adults 18 and over in BC and 74.4% of those 12 and older have received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

In total, 4,102,905 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in BC, 657,491 of which are second doses.