Toronto taxi drivers plan rallies today to protest Uber
Drivers being asked to converge on four locations in the GTA to 'fight for livelihood'

CBC.ca
Dec. 9, 2015

Last week, taxi drivers took their anti-Uber demonstration inside Toronto city hall. Today, they plan to take their protest to the streets.

A flyer circulated among cabbies yesterday called for the taxi and limousine drivers to rally at four locations in the GTA "to send a loud and clear message to the politicians to take action against UberX.

"We need to fight for our livelihood," the flyer says.

Drivers are being urged to "gather with your taxis" at the following locations at 7:30 a.m.:

• Woodbine Centre (Rexdale/Hwy 27).
• Food Basics at Victoria Park and Sheppard.
• Centrepoint Mall at Yonge and Steeles.
• Queen's Quay and Yonge.

In September, Toronto city council asked city staff to develop new rules to accommodate Uber in its taxi and limousine bylaws, with an added request that Uber cease operations until those rules are established.

The motion compelled the city's Licensing and Standards Committee to revise its rules, with an aim to create "a level playing field" between traditional cabs and Uber, which has upended the city's ground transportation industry since it launched in 2012.

Uber has continued to operate, and traditional cab drivers have complained Uber and other ride-hailing services are making a deep cut into their bottom line while flouting city bylaws.

Traditional cabbies are particularly concerned about UberX, a mobile app that connects passengers with unlicensed vehicles-for-hire.

Tory has said he wants to find solutions that will allow Uber to continue operating, but some of his council colleagues believe Uber has skirted regulations and should not be trusted.

Beck doesn't support protest

Not all cab companies are throwing their support behind the protest planned for today.

Kristine Hubbard, operations manager at Beck, is asking her drivers not to participate in the demonstration.

"While we are sympathetic that taxi drivers are living during a time of incredible strain on their livelihoods, we don't share the view that a protest that inconveniences Torontonians is the appropriate course of action," Hubbard said.

But she called on Mayor John Tory to address the issues concerning taxi drivers and Uber.

"We also call on leaders in our city to recognize they share responsibility for the state of the taxi industry today. It has been months since Uber gave Mayor John Tory a 'one-finger salute,' yet the mayor and city council have yet to meaningfully respond."

The Toronto Taxi Alliance (TTA) is not involved in organizing the protest but said it "supports the aim of the demonstration, which is to encourage the City of Toronto to enforce the law with Uber's illegal operations."

The TTA added it "does not support any tactic which will disrupt traffic or transportation for Toronto drivers and residents."