With one of the busiest days of the year for taxis just around the corner, a Coquitlam city councillor says there simply aren't enough ways to get around safely during the holiday season.
Coun. Teri Towner has been volunteering with Operation Red Nose for years. The non-profit works to discourage impaired driving during the holidays, and offers a free and confidential chauffeur services to its members.
But Towner said additional taxis and ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are crucial components to keeping British Columbians safe on the road.
"I think we need to get it sooner than later," she said. "I believe it's a public safety issue."
Towner said when she's out with Operation Red Nose during the holidays, she often meets "people that have been waiting for hours for a taxi, begging us to order them an Operation Red Nose team to come and get them."
The councillor believes not having more options to get people where they're going is potentially dangerous.
"I know of many people that we've driven home… who have admitted upon us delivering them to their doorstep that they were going to drive," she said.
The provincial government claims it is acting as fast as it can, blaming the former Liberal government for not paving the way for Uber to operate in B.C.
The NDP campaigned on a promise to bring ride-hailing to the province by the end of 2017, but did not introduce legislation that could make those services available to British Columbians until last month.
Even with the new bill, residents won't be able to hop in an Uber until at least next year.
That means for yet another year, Operation Red Nose will be one of the few safe alternatives on New Year's Eve.
"We do need more volunteers for New Year's Eve," Towner said. "But some cities don't even have Operation Red Nose."
Rides with the organization are free, and all donations go to local charities.
With files from CTV Vancouver's Bhinder Sajan
