Toronto mayor John Tory has once again voiced support for Uber and other ride-sharing services, telling the Toronto Region Board of Trade that he wants representatives from the company to develop solutions with the taxi industry wherein both players can “co-exist,” reports the Toronto Star.
“I won’t have the Wild West,” Tory said during a breakfast meeting. “I’ve said that many times before, but I won’t have us stuck in the 1970s either.”
Mayor Tory issued a call to action for all involved parties, urging “the Becks and the Ubers and the license holders and the drivers to come to the table and do what’s right for the people of this city – the people who are paying the fares.”
Tory particularly targeted the city’s licensing procedures, arguing that officials need to conduct a "broad examination of the ground transportation industry." He hopes that the city will soon unveil a “one-stop shop” for businesses to obtain licenses, which will be named “Service Toronto.”
In March, an undercover sting operation dubbed “Operation Snowball” alleged that 11 UberX drivers in Toronto violated the Highway Traffic Act by ferrying passengers without a license or proper insurance coverage.
The Financial Services Commission of Ontario also issued a warning to ride-sharing users, cautioning that they may not be insured in the case of an accident or collision.
In the meantime, the City of Toronto has scheduled a three-day court hearing in late May which could cease Uber services by way of an injunction.
“The court case is scheduled and I’m not going to interfere with it,” Tory told reporters after the meeting. “They are like a blunt instrument. They are expensive. They take a long time.”
A spokesperson for Beck Taxi told the Star that she is dismayed over the mayor’s request for cooperation.
“I’m shocked. I’m stunned,” operations manager for Beck Taxi Kristine Hubbard said. She relayed that Beck frequently collaborates with established competitors, “But the idea of having that conversation with a company that is operating illegally is not acceptable for us to consider.”
