MONTREAL

Taxi and limousine drivers formed a blockade and held a massive protest against the ride-sharing application Uber at Montreal’s Trudeau airport on Wednesday morning.

“I’m mad because this is against the law,” said Claude Boulet, a limousine driver for the last 35 years. “These guys (Uber) come out of nowhere with a cellphone, and they don’t obey the law.”

The taxi drivers had planned to block access to the airport, but they were instead directed to the area where drivers await passengers. Several hundred cabs parked there about 9:20 a.m., and remained there for more than an hour, meaning anyone hoping to get a cab from the airport was out of luck.

The Quebec branch of the United Steelworkers union, which represents many of the city’s taxi drivers, wants to pressure the provincial government into forcing Uber to stop operating during the coming legislative inquiry into the taxi industry.

On Wednesday morning, Uber posted a message on its app that it would be unable to bring passengers to Trudeau airport.

The protesting taxi cab drivers chose the airport because they wanted to send a message to Aéroports de Montréal (ADM).
The Uber app warned that demand could be higher during a taxi protest Feb. 10, 2016.

The Uber app warned that demand could be higher during a taxi protest Feb. 10, 2016.

“Drivers, and owners of taxis and limousines pay $2.5 million per year for the right to pick up clients at Montreal-Trudeau airport. ADM allows these transporters (Uber) to steal their clientele, which was guaranteed in a contract,” Benoit Jugand, a spokesperson for the union representing taxi drivers, said in a statement.

Last week, the Quebec government announced it would create a commission looking into ways of integrating technological entrants into the highly regulated taxi business.

“We want (Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard) to ask Uber to stop working during the commission,” Jugand said. “If he doesn’t do this, there will be more protests.”

During the city of Montreal’s executive committee meeting Wednesday morning, Mayor Denis Coderre asked that Uber cease all activities until the commission completed its work.

“We don’t want the worst to happen. It’s very emotional and I think we can, very serenely, discuss the issue,” Coderre said. “As far as I am concerned, UberX is illegal transportation.

“It’s by talking that we will understand each other. We believe in the process (taking place) at the National Assembly.”

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-taxi-drivers-plan-uber-protest-by-blockading-sites-across-city