Montreal

Taxi industry gets $44M from Quebec government

Quebec is providing $44 million over five years to help modernize the province's taxi industry as it struggles to compete with the ride-hailing app Uber.

Faced with challenge from Uber, province offers provides funding over 5-year period

Taxi drivers, who staged several protests against Uber in recent years, are getting help from the province. (Graham Hughes/Canadian Press)

Quebec is providing $44 million over five years to help modernize the province's taxi industry as it struggles to compete with the ride-hailing app Uber. 

Transport Minister André Fortin made the announcement Friday in Montreal.

Fortin also announced the creation of a working group to determine whether taxi licence holders will receive compensation.

Taxi drivers paid as much as $200,000 for a licence a few years ago. They are now worth roughly $85,000.

The decline is attributed to increased competition, particularly from Uber.