The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that the Ontario government plans to support the growth of rideshare apps such as Uber in a large northern swath of the province, including Muskoka and other popular cottage country regions. The Globe's Vanmala Subramaniam writes that the move is part of a one-year pilot to expand private transportation options in areas currently controlled by taxi companies. The Northern Rideshare Pilot was conceived alongside the reinstatement of the Ontario Northlander train service, which is scheduled to begin operating some time this year. The train will carry passengers on a 740-kilometre route between Toronto and Timmins, making stops in towns in the Muskoka region. Part of the idea behind the rideshare pilot is to ease last-mile connectivity for tourists from train stations to cottages and hotels. For the most part, municipal bylaws do not expressly ban rideshares, but the dominance of the taxi industry in rural regions, coupled with the lack of population density, has left rideshare companies reluctant to expand outside urban hubs. Taxi drivers worry that Uber could disrupt their usual cycle of a busy summer tourist season that sees them through the lean winter months.