'Why are they stalling?' Taxi drivers question new Uber deal
Taxi industry backs down from threat to Grand Prix
Montreal's taxi drivers are upset at a deal the Quebec government has reached with Uber that would give the ride-hailing service a three-month reprieve before it becomes subject to tough new legislation.
A bill could be voted on in the coming days that would force drivers using Uber's UberX service to take out both a taxi driver's license and a permit to operate a taxi.
But under the deal struck Tuesday, the government will give Uber added time to comply with the legislation, allowing it to come up with a pilot project that would be acceptable to provincial authorities.
That breathing room, however temporary, left taxi drivers wondering why Quebec was willing to accommodate Uber.
"They should solve this thing quickly," one driver told CBC News, asking that his name not be used. "Why are they stalling and dragging their feet? There's something going on here."
What can we do?
Taxi drivers say the competition brought by Uber has caused them to lose business. They feel its lobbying power has finally managed to bend the government's will.
"What can we do? We can't do anything because Uber has a lot of money," said another driver.
The taxi industry threatened earlier this week to refuse to drive patrons to Montreal's Formula 1 Grand Prix, which takes place this weekend. It is one of the more lucrative annual events for the city's tourist economy.
But the taxi industry seems to have backed down from its aggressive stance following news of the government's deal with Uber, which increases the likelihood the bill will be passed sooner rather than later.
"We're not going to jam a festival, we're not going to jam the Montreal Grand Prix," said Benoît Giguère, a spokesperson for the RTAM-Métallos, a union that represents several thousands taxi drivers.
Still illegal, union says
The union pointed out that even with the reprieve, the UberX service is still illegal in Quebec. It wants the company to cease operations until an agreement is reached about how it would function under Quebec's taxi laws.
For taxi drivers, the terms of such an agreement are simple — they want Uber drivers to face the same rules they do.
"They don't pay what we pay," said one driver. "They call this competition?"
with files from Natalie Nanowski