Toronto has evolved into a hotbed for testing new Uber promotions and pilot projects, resulting in a growth of popularity in the bustling downtown area.
The city, however, is also home to one of the toughest regulatory fights Uber has faced in Canada, with legal affronts coming from taxi unions, as well as the city itself.
Late last week, a second injunction application was filed against UberX drivers in Toronto, even as Mayor John Tory pushes against legal action as the city works on regulations to ensure Uber works within city bylaws. The city expects the next round of these proposed regulations will be completed in April, and hopes the proposal will create balance between taxis and uber in Toronto.
Last year, an injunction filed by the city itself failed, and Tory also says any further legal action will take months, by which time the new regulations should be ready. While the taxi drivers and unions are doing everything they can to stop Uber from running its service in Toronto, Susie Heath, a spokesperson for Uber Canada, remains adamant that updating regulations to include services like Uber is the “best path forward,” according to a statement in a recent Toronto Star interview.
For the time being, Uber will continue to run in Toronto, and as other cities work to incorporate ride-sharing apps into their bylaws, it’s likely this fight will only end once Toronto does as well.
[source]The Star[/source]
