3 months after launch, Ontario reviewing rideshare regs
No winter experience will be available to assess
Three months after Ontario’s new rideshare pilot was launched, Ministry of Transportation (MTO) staff are beginning a “review” of the program.
“Ontario is now exploring potential future enhancements to the Provincial Rideshare Framework, including possible approaches to rideshare oversight in additional regions of the province,” reads the text of an email obtained by Taxi News on August 21st.
“MTO is engaging stakeholders from across the vehicle-for-hire sector to inform future policy considerations related to rideshare oversight in Ontario.”
The pilot will be completed on May 27, 2027.
Mike Sanders of Sudbury’s Aaron Group ground transportation services told Taxi News he plans to RSVP to the two-hour consultation, scheduled to take place on September 23rd.
“If they will have me on, without muting me,” Sanders notes. Sanders is a member of the Canadian Taxi Association and has spoken on vehemently on Ontario’s decision to allow open entry to rideshare firms including Uber in northern communities, without speaking directly to a single Northern Taxi company.
As currently structured, Ontario’s review of its rideshare “pilot” will take place after only three summer months of regulated rideshare, and will be unable to incorporate any information regarding availability and reliability during conditions including the north’s treacherous winter roads.
The Canadian Taxi Association, supported by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, has called upon Ontario to include in-car security cameras; clear vehicle identification; a centralized registry of drivers and vehicles as part of Ontario’s rideshare regulations.
“The development of Regulation 136/26 provided a golden opportunity for government, industry and law enforcement to work together to create effective new program for driver and vehicle registration and identification to create a single system,” CTA president Marc Andre Way said in a June statement.
“It is unfortunate Ontario declined this opportunity to support long-serving local family businesses, and to improve safety for its citizens. The CTA is committed to continue pressing for this conversation in the year ahead, in advance of any amended regulations being developed after close of the pilot on May 27th.”
Full text of the MTO email is below:
“Ontario Rideshare (MTO)
From:rideshare@ontario.ca
Fri, Aug 21 at 4:37 p.m.
Good afternoon,
On May 19, 2026, the Government of Ontario launched the Provincial Rideshare Framework (Northlander Phase), which established minimum requirements for rideshare services operating in designated areas along the Northlander corridor. For more information on the Northlander Phase of the Provincial Rideshare Framework, please visit the program webpage, linked here: Provincial rideshare framework (Northlander phase) | ontario.ca.
The Government of Ontario is now exploring potential future enhancements to the Provincial Rideshare Framework, including possible approaches to rideshare oversight in additional regions of the province. To support this work, the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is engaging stakeholders from across the vehicle-for-hire sector to inform future policy considerations related to rideshare oversight in Ontario.
We value your expertise and insight, and we would be pleased to have you join us for this discussion. The sessions will provide an opportunity to share perspectives on safety requirements, market impacts to the broader Vehicle-for-Hire sector, regulatory efficiency, transportation connectivity, and the evolving role of rideshare platforms in Ontario’s provincial transportation system.
The session will be held virtually through Microsoft Teams on September 23 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Please RSVP by September 7, 2026, via the Consultation Session RSVP Form to confirm your attendance. Should you not be the appropriate contact for this matter, please forward this email to the relevant individual or department, or inform us by email using the contact information provided above.
We look forward to your participation and to a thoughtful dialogue on shaping the future of mobility in Ontario.”
