kamloopsthisweek.com kamloopsthisweek kamthisweek
JANUARY 23, 2019 | Volume 32 No. 7
WEATHER A chance of flurries High 2 C, Low -4 C SNOW REPORT Sun Peaks Resort Mid-mountain: 74 cm Alpine: 154 cm Harper Mountain Total snow: 93 cm
30 CENTS AT NEWSSTANDS
WEDNESDAY
STRING OF ROBBERIES
A NEW HEALTHY?
ROAD WARRIORS
Police look into whether trio of holdups are related
Canada’s new food guide not bullish on meat or dairy
Blazers hoping to build on weekend wins in Prince George
NEWS/A6
NEWS/A15, A23
SPORTS/A27
Mayor says ‘road block’ impeding ride-hailing in B.C. Provincial officials say they are still working on developing insurance for ride-sharing JESSICA WALLACE STAFF REPORTER jessica@kamloopsthisweek.com
SEAN BRADY/KTW
TO THE MOON
Kamloops was lucky to have clear skies on Sunday for the rare super blood wolf moon — super because the moon is exceptionally close to our planet, blood because an eclipse made the orb appear red and wolf because it was the first full moon of January. If you missed it, you’ll be waiting for a while. The next total lunar eclipse will not happen until May 2021.
Kamloops mayor Ken Christian says implementation of ridehailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, is moving at a glacial pace in British Columbia. “It seems to be a bit of a road block rather than an invitation to have this service available to the citizens of Kamloops and other communities,” Christian said during an appearance by local MLAs at the Thompson Nicola Regional District meeting. In the fall, the province introduced legislation which would require ride-hailing drivers to obtain a Class 4 or commercial driver’s licence. Last fall, provincial officials announced ICBC would require nearly a year to develop insurance for ride-hailing services, which are expected to be complete later this year. It remains unclear, however, when British Columbians could see ride-hailing apps in use. Kamloops South-Thompson MLA Todd Stone said he worked on the file from 2013 to 2017, as
former Minister of Transportation prior to a transfer of power from the BC Liberals to the NDP in 2017. He said he fears the service will not become available in Kamloops for a “number of years” and that proposed legislation will prohibit the service and make it untenable, due to but not limited to the restrictions around licensing and insurance. “None of that is necessary,” Stone said. Kamloops North-Thompson MLA Peter Milobar, who is on a provincial ridesharing committee, said “old school taxi just doesn’t work anymore.” During the last election, the NDP pledged support for the taxi industry and taxi owners helped the party win key ridings in the Lower Mainland, such as Surrey. The NDP took power by a slim margin and with help from the Green Party, which has the balance of power, but that could change depending on the results of a byelection in Nanaimo later this month. — with files from Vancouver Sun
#2 - 740 Fortune Dr. Kamloops, BC V2B 2L1