Is the B.C. government learning to love Uber?

THE#BCBIZDAILY
Plus, Chris Boyce joins Pacific Content and good news for Teck

Getting to YES!
The B.C. government appears to be warming to the idea of Uber, Airbnb and similar companies in the “sharing economy.” B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone, who in 2014 said plainclothes transit agents posing as potential customers would be deployed to ensure taxis and their drivers are operating by B.C.’s rules, now says it is a matter of when—not if—ride-sharing companies like Uber will be present in British Columbia. (via CBC)

On the BC Liberals’ website, Joan Isaacs, the party’s candidate for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain, “is pledging a strong voice in bringing applications like Airbnb, Uber, Lyft and Rover to Victoria—technologies that she argues will deliver popular relief to visitors and families in her rapidly growing constituency,” and the public is being asked for input (positive only) on whether it’s time to welcome the sharing economy to B.C.: “Sign up to tell us YES!”

Podcasting partner
Chris Boyce, former executive director of radio and audio at CBC, has joined Vancouver podcasting and branded content company Pacific Content as part owner. Boyce will establish a Toronto presence for the rapidly expanding company.

“At CBC I spent a lot of time thinking about how technology was radically changing how people consume media,” said Boyce in a release. “At Pacific Content I get to live that transformation every day, helping lead a team of people who are redefining the future of audio and how people think about branded content.”

Launched in 2014 and led by a group of ex-CBCers, Pacific Content produces podcasts and digital content for major brands like the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Slack and Telus.

Sustainable resource company
In a challenging year affected by low commodity prices, there is some good news for Teck Resources: it has been been recognized as one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations for the fourth consecutive year by media and investment research company Corporate Knights. Teck was the top-ranked company in the Metals and Mining category and the second-ranked Canadian company on this year’s Global 100 list. The only other B.C.-based company to make the list was Telus.