I grew up steeped in what might be termed the "sharing economy" of its day.
It's probably technically better described as 'the "grey market." Whatever — a label's a label.
If you knew someone who could get you eggs, give you a haircut, or rewire your home at a fraction of the over-the-table price, surely only a fool would shell out the extra cash. The produce was fresh, you knew where to find the electrician if things went wrong, and as for haircuts, well, we're talking about the '70s.
- Regulation could strengthen sharing economy in long run
- Airbnb Canada agrees on need for new regulations and data sharing
- New Toronto Uber, taxi rules unlikely to go ahead as proposed
I'm willing to bet it's an economy millions of Canadians are familiar with.
The taxman may have been cheated out of a few bucks, but the small amounts people saved by going off book from time to time wasn't going to bankrupt the country.
The difference between then and now — obviously — was technology. The guy who fixed your car on the sly was never going to harness the power of social media to threaten the global automotive repair business.
Nor was the plumber, the tile layer or the electrician; they all worked during the week for the overcharging businesses they undercut on the weekends.
Read more @ http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/uber-airbnb-sharing-economy-1.3526114
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