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TC THINGS-TO-DO GUIDE: 21
Movie, music, markets & much more UBER VS. TAXI
Uber here? PoCo, Coq. interested Councils ask prov. to loosen rules for ride-share services JANIS WARREN
The Tri-CiTy News
Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam are joining the chorus of B.C. cities calling on the province to allow Uber cars on their streets. On Monday, councils in both municipalities voted to send letters to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure to loosen the rules around ride-sharing. Under the Passenger Transportation Act, ridesharing is banned in B.C.
TC
Zone system for transit fares under review / HandyDart shake-up considered
FRIDAY, DEC. 11, 2015 Your community. Your stories.
TRI-CITY
NEWS XMAS GIVING
20 years of giving & stories for Nials SARAH PAYNE
The Tri-CiTy News
despite the growing popularity around the world of such programs as Uber and Lyft, low-cost, smartphone appbased alternatives to taxis. In Canada, Uber currently operates in Toronto, Montreal, Halifax, Ottawa, Edmonton, Quebec City, southwest Ontario, Calgary and more than 40 other cities. It is also used in some 350 cities in other countries. In October, Vancouver city council passed a motion to have stakeholders such as ICBC, taxi and ride-sharing industries, and tourism groups look at opportunities for the region; a report on their findings is due shortly.
Ernie and Janet Nial have seen a lot in their 20 years of volunteering at the toy donation bin at Coquitlam Centre: stress and panic, certainly, but also patience, gratitude and overwhelming generosity. For two decades, the Coquitlam couple has used two weeks of their annual holiday time to work shifts at Share Family and Community Services’ donation booth. They started when their daughters were 10 and 13 and, over the years, got better at juggling their volunteer work in the busy days leading up to Christmas. It never occurred to them to use those two weeks for a vacation, or to do anything but be at the mall at the peak of holiday shopping madness. “It’s amazing, the people that you meet,” Janet said as she wiped away a tear. “Sometimes, people come and say they used to get toys from Share as a kid and now they’ve turned their lives around and they want to give back.”
see SAFETY, page 8
see KIDS LEARN, page 7
Homeless shelter at 3030 Gordon opens, finally, on Monday: page 3
SARAH PAYNE/THE TRI-CITY NEWS
Janet and Ernie Nial of Coquitlam have been using their holiday time for each of the last 20 years to work as volunteers at Share Family and Community Services’ toy donation booth at Coquitlam Centre.
CONTACT THE TRI-CITY NEWS: newsroom@tricitynews.com / sales@tricitynews.com / delivery@tricitynews.com / 604-472-3040
FAMILY RESTAURANT featuring EUROPEAN CUISINE
“Really fresh, really good food” - Arlene & Darrell, Port Coquitlam
OPEN: 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND DINNER. Monday - Friday 6:30 am - 9:30 pm Saturday - Sunday 7:00 am - 9:30 pm Located at PoCo Inn & Suites
1545 Lougheed Highway, Port Coquitlam
BREAKFAST from $6
ROAST BEEF DINNER $12
HOMEMADE MEALS
(made Fresh in-house, daily)
SMALLER PORTIONS ALWAYS AVAILABLE
604.475.8864
www.IzbaBistro.com