What are other cities doing about Uber?

As Hamilton prepares to fight Uber's coming to the city, what are other Canadian cities doing with the ride service? 

Opponents say the company, especially its UberX service, flouts the licensing and insurance regulations put on traditional cabs, and is therefore operating illegally. They warn of dire safety risks for passengers taking a ride on the service.

Proponents see the company as disrupting an outdated business model and providing more convenience and cheaper fares than a typical taxi. 

• Uber keeps driving on in Canada, despite opposition from cities
• Uber pushes Canadian cities to re-evaluate taxi industry
• Uber starts service in Hamilton Thursday

Uber's opponents have occasionally succeeded. While the company maintains a presence in Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax, it was forced to shut up shop after brief sojourns in Vancouver and Calgary.

Vancouver: Uber operated in Vancouver for about six months in 2012. The company withdrew from B.C. after the provincial transportation regulator imposed a minimum fare of $75 per trip.

Calgary and Edmonton: The company was forced to stop operating after a brief time in Calgary. But a provincial court judge denied the Edmonton's request for an injunction against it.

Toronto: The company just won a fight with the city, which sought a temporary injunction for Uber operations. Mayor John Tory has said services like Uber are here to stay, even if a police officer there just leveled 11 tickets in one weekend against Uber drivers. Uber has said it will pay its drivers' tickets for any infractions they incur because of driving on the Uber platform. 

Meanwhile, a city councillor has claimed the company is skirting paying HST and wants the Canada Revenue Agency to investigate.

Kitchener-Waterloo: The service also launched there Thursday. Coun. Sean Strickland in Waterloo Region has said the arrival of Uber is inevitable in a North American city, and said he hopes Uber can "work with our municipality as opposed to work against our municipality."

London: The city's head of bylaw has held a similar position as Hamilton that drivers should have a regular taxi license and follow city taxi bylaws, the London Free Press reported.