Dear Hamilton City Council,

Hamilton’s restaurant industry is always looking for ways to reach new customers and expand businesses locally. After all, in the restaurant industry, margins are slim, costs are high, and you don’t have to be an expert to know that many restaurants don’t survive past their first or second year.

This is where Uber and ridesharing comes in. Uber offers a product known as uberEATS so that residents in a growing number of Canadian cities like Toronto, Mississauga, and Ottawa, can get the food they want, from the local restaurants they love, delivered to them at Uber speed.

UberEATS has meant extra earnings for restaurants and added choice for uberX driver-partners, who serve as the backbone of the UberEATS business. For small business owners, uberEATS has helped expand the reach of their restaurants across the city, allowing them to grow their business and create more jobs locally.

Zane Caplansky, owner of Caplansky’s Deli in Toronto boasts that “Uber has become an important delivery partner in my business. They’ve helped us reach thousands of new customers quickly and conveniently”. Harsh Chawla and Derek Valleau, co-owners of Pukka restaurant in Toronto, rave that “UberEATS [and Uber Instant delivery] has increased Pukka’s revenue by 20%. To keep up the demand, we had to hire two more employees. The domino effect from the increase in sales is endless”.

The debate around Uber is a perfect example of what’s at stake in Hamilton for the local restaurant and hospitality industry. It’s important that Hamilton City Council pass smart ridesharing regulations or else future initiatives like uberEATS in Hamilton won’t be possible. In short, if there is no Uber and ridesharing in Hamilton, there is no uberEATS in Hamilton.

As such, getting the regulations around ridesharing in Hamilton right is critical for the restaurant and hospitality industry in Hamilton.

Erin Dunham, CEO, Other Bird
Scott Carrothers, Financial Controller, The Other Bird
Leo Tsangarakis, The Burnt Tongue
Adam White, The Mule
Jason Cassis, Deluxe Hospitality Group
Dave Hanley, Pop Up Hamilton
Graeme Smith, Owner, Gorilla Cheese Takeout & Foodtruck
Peter Trajkovkski, Owner, Edgewater Manor Restaurant
Layal Al-Haidari, Owner/operator, Jonny Blonde
Sam Godfrey, Manager, Jonny Blondes Kitchen
Ella Shepherd , Owner / Partner, Mulberry Street Coffeehouse
Eric Bowden, Owner, Jack & Lois
Harrison Lee, Bar Manager, Two Black Sheep
Paul Krouse, Manager, Rapscallion Rogue Eatery
Alexa Dunham, Burro
Jason Cassis, The French
Jason Cassis , Aberdeen tavern
Jason Baggett,the Mule