Montreal airport authority warns passengers about illegal taxi drivers
Illegal taxi drivers are posing a safety risk for passengers at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, says the city's airport authority (ADM).
ADM says drivers without permits to operate at the airport are soliciting customers in the terminal, offering them a ride for a fee.
Close to 400 incidents relating to illegal transportation have been recorded since January, says ADM.
Francois Milette says he had an unsettling experience in December when a driver became aggressive and demanded more money.
"We paid what we were expecting to pay, but it was not a nice drive," he said.
The problem is also a concern for permitted taxi drivers.
"It's very hard, very hard for us. Every time we fight with them," says taxi driver Mongi Kahlaoui.
The president of Taxi Champlain blames the issue on the deregulation of the taxi industry in 2019.
"For about five or six years, I've been saying we will become the Wild West, and we have become the Wild West," says George Boussios.
The Montreal Taxi Bureau, which monitored the industry, no longer exists, and the airport can only give citations for illegally parked or unattended cars.
Taxis are now under the jurisdiction of Controle routier Quebec.
ADM says it's asking the government to make solicitation illegal again and make sure taxis with permits are the only ones picking up passengers.
Airport officials are running an awareness campaign to make sure passengers take the necessary precautions to start their trip safely,
The Transport Ministry did not reply to CTV's interview request by deadline.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.