Canadian Underwriter
News

Toronto cab drivers clog city streets in protest against Uber


December 9, 2015   by The Canadian Press


Print this page Share

TORONTO – Certain streets in Toronto were clogged by taxis Wednesday as cab drivers protested the ride-hailing service Uber.

Hundreds of cab drivers from across the GTA converged in downtown Toronto to call on politicians to enforce city bylaws

Hundreds of cab drivers from across the Greater Toronto Area converged at points in downtown Toronto, including city hall, to call on politicians to enforce city bylaws.

The city is currently working on new rules to introduce regulations for services like Uber, but cab drivers say current bylaws mean some Uber services are operating illegally.

Toronto Mayor John Tory has said that while Uber is operating outside legislation, it would be impractical to devote the police and bylaw attention necessary to shut it down entirely.

Uber has raised the ire of the taxi industry, which says its business has dropped with the arrival of the unlicensed and lower-priced competitor.

Unlike cab fares, Uber’s prices are not regulated by bylaws.

Related: Ontario MPP Tim Hudak calls on provincial finance minister to clear way for ridesharing insurance

Ontario Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca said Wednesday that he understood there was “frustration that’s being felt on all sides” when it came to the issue, but noted that the regulation of taxis is the responsibility of municipalities.

“I would ask everyone on the roads to be as calm as possible,” he said. “We will continue to talk to all sides of the industry to see how this might progress.”

A recent report from the federal Competition Bureau recommended that local and provincial governments remove restrictions on the number of taxi licences they grant to drivers.

It also recommended that governments allow people anywhere to hail rides from the curb and offer surge pricing, which Uber now uses to charge more at times when there is greater demand.

Cities control taxi licensing and the number of taxi permits, and in some areas the value of a so-called taxi plate has reached six digits.

The Competition Bureau report found that the cost of a single taxi plate in Toronto in 2012 was as high as $360,000.


Print this page Share

Have your say:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*