Survey seeks input on app-based ride-hailing, food-delivery work

Food delivery and ride hailing workers have a few more days to provide feedback to the B.C. government about what changes they would like to see in their industries.

The province is taking a detailed look at how to ensure gig work is fair for workers and sustainable for businesses.

That type of work involves income-earning activity outside conventional long-term employment relationships, such as through ride-hailing or food-delivery apps.

A survey is open until Friday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m. (Pacific time) and is available online in English and several other languages by clicking here.

The survey results, along with information received during in-person worker roundtable discussions and meetings with businesses, labour and worker organizations, will be used to develop a province-wide strategy covering today’s workers and workplaces.

In 2019, Statistics Canada estimated approximately one in 10 Canadians in the workforce (1.7 million people) were gig workers in 2016, which was an increase from approximately one in 20 workers in 2005.

Companies often treat app-based ride-hailing and food-delivery workers as independent contractors, and not as employees entitled to B.C.’s minimum employment standards.

To learn about the gig worker engagement, click here.