A day after a bill regulating ride-sharing app Uber was passed in the National Assembly, Montreal’s taxi drivers are divided on the new law.
The law requires Uber drivers to have the same licenses as taxi drivers, which taxi industry provincial committee interim president Georges Tannous hailed as a step in the right direction.
“With this law, it’s finished, the Uber problem is over,” he said. “Either Uber enters the taxi industry and we work equally with taxi permits or there will be consequences.”
Driver Camille Fils said he is relieved the battle over Uber, which the industry has been waging for months, is finally over.
“I think it’s a good thing because before, Uber was total illegal, but if this law puts Uber on the same playing field as us, it’s a good thing,” he said.
Not everyone is feeling that relief. Taxi union spokesperson Benoit Jugand said the bill’s wording leaves room for interpretation and that the bill’s component allowing the government to authorize pilot projects will lend itself to abuse.
“They bring an amendment saying that any pilot project (can be approved), they can open the door to a two-way taxi industry, which we fought from day one,” he said. “We are not going to accept that.”
Representatives for Uber could not be reached for comment.
