Ontario town partners with Uber to provide public transit service
An Ontario town daunted by the cost of building a traditional public transit system has turned to a popular ride-hailing company for a solution.
The town of Innisfil, Ont., is subsidizing the cost of rides for its residents with Uber Canada, offering flat rates to travel to certain public hubs and offering a discount for travel anywhere else within the community.
Some American cities have struck similar partnerships with Uber in the past, but the company said the arrangement in Innisfil, effective Monday, marks the first time a Canadian municipality has enlisted Uber to fill a public transit void.
Innisfil Deputy Mayor Lynn Dollin said the option made sense given the demographic breakdown of the town, which sees a population of about 36,000 scattered over about 270 square kilometres largely consisting of gravel roads and rural areas.