Is this Uber’s final week in Toronto?

April 27th, 2016  |  Canadian Business

Canada’s most controversial ride-sharing service may decide to cease operations in Toronto next week if the city decides to implement proposed ride-sharing and taxi bylaw rule changes.

According to the Toronto Sun, Uber Canada’s general manager told them that the company would have little choice but to leave the city if the regulations it proposed were approved. The proposed rules, which aim to put Uber and taxi drivers on an equal playing field were revealed earlier this month. The rules weren’t entirely good news to Uber, who lobbied to have aspects of the proposal modified with a letter to city council.

Unfortunately for them the letter didn’t go over well with councillors and the bylaw will be put to the vote next week without any input from Uber.

While the company says it doesn’t want to leave Toronto, it has demonstrated its willingness to shut down operations in major cities such as Edmonton and Calgary because of issues with bylaws in those places. While taxi drivers have often made claims of Uber’s illegality, the company has always maintained that it merely chooses to ignore bylaws that it feels don’t apply to it. With more cities implementing regulations for Uber-like businesses, the company seems to be losing its foothold in cities. The decision of whether the operate chooses to operate in the GTA or not will have a major impact on the company’s future in the country. And Toronto does lose Uber, it’ll be interesting to see what rises to take its place considering how popular ride-sharing has become in the city.