With Uber set to leave the province of Quebec this Saturday over new stricter regulations, Montreal taxi drivers left their vehicles and took to the downtown streets to urge the Quebec government to stick to their plan.
Uber announced it would shut down operations as of this Saturday, upset with new rules such as required training courses.
About 80 taxi drivers with the Steelworkers union wended their way peacefully through downtown streets from Square Victoria to the Transport Ministry's Montreal office on René-Lévesque West.
Souheil Saade #taxi driver for 26 years also believes #Uber is bluffing and tells the Que government not to fall for it. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/sX17wZePbn
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) October 11, 2017
They waved placards with messages such as "Double standard" and chanted, "Uber, get out!" and "Uber, illegal!"
Cabbies said they don't believe for a second that's Uber will pull up stakes in Quebec. They are telling the Quebec government not to give in to threats and blackmail.
Cab drivers said the government should apply the rules fairly to both the taxi industry and Uber and level the playing field.
#Taxi drivers such as 30-yr vet Akbar Toossi say they don't believe for one second #Uber is packing up as of Saturday. #CJAD pic.twitter.com/LthlIoJowF
— Shuyee Lee (@sleeCJAD) October 11, 2017