Ontario uses North as guinea pig for rideshare safety
“What are the safety protocols?”
“Are there safety protocols? If so, what are the safety protocols being mandated for rideshare in the North?” asks Shelley Walker, CEO of Know Human Trafficking.
Walker is dismayed that Ontario did not reach out to Human Trafficking organizations and professionals before announcing Regulation 136/26 allowing ridesharing in northern and rural Ontario to discuss safety concerns before release on May 14th.
Despite its legal obligation to consult with Aboriginal peoples, Ontario does not appear to have held consultations with the First Nations regarding the Northlander train and the rideshare services which are being piloted in advance of the train service’s launch.
“None of the First Nations groups we work with have heard anything,” Walker says. “It’s hard to believe this is even possible, let alone legal.”
According to Ontario’s own website, “where it contemplates decisions or actions that may adversely impact asserted or established Aboriginal or treaty rights, Ontario is committed to meeting its duty to consult with First Nations and Métis communities.
The duty to consult, and where appropriate accommodate, is rooted in:
- the Honour of the Crown (a legal principle that commits government to act with integrity)
- the protection of Aboriginal and treaty rights under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982”
While the Canadian Taxi Association and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police offered support for safety protocols including in-car cameras; provincial registration of drivers and vehicles; and clear Vehicle Identification standards including a windshield label with QR code, none of these safety elements are included in Regulation 136/26.
