A Quebec court judge plans to rule on Tuesday on a request for an injunction to stop the government's pilot project with Uber.
The decision by Justice Michel Déziel comes after a day-long hearing Friday in which lawyers for the provincial government, Uber and the traditional taxi industry argued their cases.
The taxi industry has threatened a strike if the injunction does not halt what they believe is an illegal deal between the government and Uber.
On Friday the taxi industry argued before a judge that it is urgent that the deal be stopped. They contend that Uber must be a dispatcher to operate in Quebec and they say the permits the government will give Uber are not geographically based, which means certain areas will be flooded with taxis and Ubers at some times.
Under the terms of the project, Uber will be granted the equivalent of 300 taxi permits, but will also pay taxes in addition to collecting federal and provincial sales tax and contribute to a fund to help modernize the taxi industry.
Uber drivers must abide by several other regulations but won't have to rent or purchase traditional permits, which cost cab drivers upward of $200,000 if a car is included in the price.
Lawyers for Uber and the Quebec government asked Déziel to reject the application for an interim injunction, saying there is “no urgency to act.”
The taxi industry said it didn’t believe the time taken by the judge to reflect on his decision meant he might lean toward favouring the government and Uber.
Neither the province nor Uber would comment on the hearing Friday.
Déziel is expected to render a decision Tuesday at 2 p.m.
With files from The Canadian Press
