Mississauga bans UberX and other ride-sharing services

All non-traditional taxi companies ordered to immediately stop picking up passengers.

Thestar.com
May 11, 2016
By San Grewal

In a break from its giant neighbour to the east, Mississauga council has suspended all operation of ride-sharing services such as UberX.

The only way ride-sharing companies can now legally operate in Mississauga is if they effectively follow the same regulations governing traditional taxis, after Wednesday's unanimous vote.

But Mayor Bonnie Crombie left the door open, ever so slightly. In a 10-2 vote, council decided that if Uber and other ride-sharing services suspend operations immediately, a committee will be struck to look at a possible ride-sharing pilot project.

“I think it will make the industry very pleased,” said Crombie, of the compromise, that leaves open the possibility of Uber to operate under different rules in the future.

“We think we have struck the right balance. We've listened very closely.”

But taxi drivers who packed Wednesday's council meeting, flanking former mayor Hazel McCallion, say they are unhappy with the prospect of a pilot program.

“You are becoming like a dictator in the city,” said Harbhajan Pandori to Crombie. Pandori added that McCallion “helped us all the time.”

While McCallion was there with the taxi supporters, she wouldn’t comment on the issue.

The pilot program would be shaped by a committee, but only if Uber and other ride-sharing companies stop operating immediately, until at least the end of September, when rules for the pilot would be ready. It’s unclear if Uber will shut down in Mississauga. Council asked the company to halt operations two months ago, but Uber ignored the request.

“I really caution everybody around the table from getting very cuddly with this baby vampire,” Councillor George Carlson said during Wednesday’s meeting, warning that Uber is unlikely to play by the rules.

Uber’s Canadian spokesperson, Susie Heath, did not commit to following the terms laid out by council. “We are currently reviewing today’s vote in Mississauga,” she said.

Another taxi driver who spoke to council called the idea of surge pricing for traditional taxis, which Crombie has suggested they could use, a “ripoff,” stating that customers would suffer.

Despite concerns voiced by taxi drivers about the pilot program, the man representing many of them says he's happy with council’s decision, unlike the one Toronto made last week that allows ride-sharing companies to operate under a different set of regulations, while loosening rules in Toronto for traditional taxis.

“I think it's a very positive development,” said Marcel Wieder, a spokesperson for the Peel Taxi Alliance. “Council recognizes that a made in Mississauga solution is required.”