Canadian Taxi Drivers Are Using Tariffs as Ammo Against Uber
"Let's stop supporting these giant tech companies who are siphoning money out of our country," said one Toronto taxi operations manager. The post Canadian Taxi Drivers Are Using Tariffs as Ammo Against Uber appeared first on The Drive.
In the wake of the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and Canada, many Canadians are making a concerted effort to consume only homegrown goods and services. Taxi drivers in the nation’s biggest city are now latching onto this trend as a whole new weapon in their bitter, decade-long vendetta against ridesharing apps like Uber.
According to the CBC, three Toronto taxicab companies as well as one Canada-based rideshare app have signed a letter calling on city officials to ban U.S.-based ridesharing apps—i.e. Uber and Lyft—as part of Toronto’s “Buy Local, Buy Canadian” campaign in response to trade tariffs.
The letter is signed by Beck Taxi, Co-op Cabs, Toronto 1 Taxi, and Canadian Uber-alternative Hovr and points out that many local cab companies including Beck already have their own ride-hailing apps and that “Canadian companies can easily step in to connect Torontonians with their next ride home.”
“Every taxi you see is a small independent, licensed business in the city, in this country, and so, I do think if we’re talking about supporting local Canadian businesses, small businesses in particular, this is the perfect opportunity,” said Beck operations manager Kristine Hubbard. “Let’s stop supporting these giant tech companies who are siphoning money out of our country.”
Uber Canada, however, argues that shutting down its app will only hurt local drivers and employees who, despite working on an American platform or for an American corporation, are also Canadian citizens at the end of the day. According to Uber, it employs 500 people at its Canadian headquarters and supports 180,000 drivers and delivery people throughout the country.
“When you use the Uber app, you might pay $30, but the drivers are getting $12 and the rest is going out of our country,” argues Hubbard.
In Canada, the push against spending money on American goods, services, and indeed travel has been significant. Local grocery chains have begun labeling domestic items with big, red maple leaves to make Buying Canadian easier. The LCBO, a government alcohol retailer and distributor in Ontario, removed all U.S. products from its shelves last week. Canadian travel to the States, both observed in February and intended future vacations, has taken a noticeable plunge with Toronto-based Porter Airlines even scaling back marketing on flights down south.
Is shirking Uber and Lyft the next step in Canada’s economic war against the U.S.? Toronto’s cabbies sure hope so.
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The post Canadian Taxi Drivers Are Using Tariffs as Ammo Against Uber appeared first on The Drive.
