UPDATE: Cabbies to target East York Civic Centre with protest Wednesday

Drivers have no plans to block traffic, cause problems for nearby hospital

NewsTalk1010.com
Aug. 15, 2016
By Siobhan Morris

NEWSTALK 1010 has learned the details of a Wednesday morning protest by Toronto cab drivers.

Cabbies plan to picket outside the East York Civic Centre at 850 Coxwell Ave starting at 7 a.m Wednesday.

The centre houses the offices of Toronto Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS), the city department responsible for overseeing taxis and transportation outfits like Uber.

Paul Sekhon head of the United Taxi Workers Association of the GTA, which represents some 3,500 drivers contends new measures to control Uber that took effect July 15 have not been applied by MLS.

While cab drivers want to be heard, Sekhon says they plan to vent their frustrations from the sidewalk.

"We're not going to be blocking any roads, we're going to be standing at 850 Coxwell on foot," Sekhon told NEWSTALK 1010 Monday. "There will be no blocking of hospitals, emergency vehicles or any medical clinics."

Sekhon concedes some workers at visitors to the civic may be held up by demonstrators on arrival.

Sekhon could not say how many drivers he expected to participate Wednesday, but suggested there would not be a large crowd so as not to inconvenience anyone at the nearby East General (Michael Garron) Hospital.

The city has vowed to take measures, including screening Uber-X drivers by the end of the month.

It is not good enough for Sekhon.

"We've been hearing that for about two years now and they haven't been doing anything. And now we have to stand up for our rights."