Uber asks users, riders to pressure Toronto councillors
Users and drivers are being asked to sign a petition and reach out to city councillors ahead of their next meeting.

TheStar.com
Sept. 21, 2015
David Rider

Uber is urging customers and drivers to rise up and demand city councillors legalize the UberX private-vehicle ride service.

The California-based service, which is shaking up the taxi industry around the globe, unveiled a website at 10 a.m. Monday with a petition calling on councillors to pass reforms recommended by city staff at council’s Sept. 30 meeting.

By 8 p.m., the site registered more than 27,000 signatures.

Users are also receiving emails urging them to sign the petition, and the company has posted videos of Toronto UberX drivers touting the services benefits to themselves and residents.

“Cities around the world are embracing ride-sharing as a 21st century solution to driving under the influence, traffic and carbon emissions...” the petition states. “I ask that you recognize the merits of innovations that are allowing this to happen and support smart ride-sharing regulations in Toronto.”

“Please vote YES on Sept. 30 to ensure ride-sharing regulations can continue to benefit our great city.”

Earlier this year Mayor John Tory urged the traditional taxi industry and Uber to talk to city staff in hopes they could recommend a new framework that would allow both to coexist, pay fees to the city and offer safe services.

But the licensing committee voted last week to kill a provision of the proposed rules that would open the door to UberX, an app that connects riders to owners of personal vehicles, if subject to insurance and other safeguards.

Councillors Jim Karygiannis and Giorgio Mammoliti led the charge against Uber, cheered on by taxi drivers, plate owners and the brokerage sites that provide dispatch and marketing services.

Uber Canada general manager Ian Black said Monday that his 400,000 regular UberX users and 16,000 “driver partners” in Toronto need to know what’s at stake.

“It’s not particularly well known that the vote on Sept. 30 is really a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ vote on whether this city wants to embrace Uber,” Black said in an interview.

“When somebody signs the petition, there is an option to reach out to their city councillor either by email or by phone.”

Sajid Mughal, president of the iTaxi Workers Association, said cabbies will continue to fight UberX.

“There cannot be a two-tier system with lower prices — Toronto already has 5,000 legal cabs and doesn’t need a single UberX,” Mughal said. “We are expecting council will be aware of the facts and make a wise decision.”

Uber is fighting battles in many cities, but Black acknowledged opposition has been particularly strong in Toronto.

“The taxi lobby is very active in the city of Toronto, and it makes sense because they’ve had a monopoly for 50 or 60 years,” Black said. “We’ve seen reactions in every city, but some of the tactics and the intensity in Toronto have been especially fierce.”