A review of regulations and media discourse on technology-enabled shared mobility in Canada

Abstract

Ridesourcing is a shared mobility service with emerging operations around the world. Popular ridesourcing services use smartphone-based applications to connect riders with drivers and are operating successfully in Canadian municipalities today. Despite increasing adoption of ridesourcing, there is a significant gap in developing regulatory frameworks in different jurisdictions, specifically in understanding how to respond to public discourse when developing regulations. This study examines sixteen Canadian jurisdictions that have adopted or are considering regulations for ridesourcing services. It develops an inventory of ridesourcing regulations and compares them to issues emerging in the media through a thematic analysis. Ridesourcing services have generated considerable public discussions highlighting tensions among stakeholders, such as the taxi industry and its users. This study systematically reviews both the public discourse appearing in the media and the regulations developed by public agencies to understand the dynamics of their perspectives. The study reveals that common public discourse issues include licensing, safety, insurance, tracking, accessibility and social issues, such as gender equality and discrimination. The results of this qualitative analysis reveal that there are similarities in public discourse, but considerable variations exist across Canadian jurisdictions. It concludes that established ridesourcing regulations mention most issues found in public discourse but do not necessarily address them in practice. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers in developing regulations to guide technology-enabled ridesourcing services that are shaping the mobility market in many communities.