Uber is threatening to leave Quebec if the province imposes tougher industry regulations, but Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre isn鈥檛 too troubled by the warning.
鈥淏ye-bye. I don鈥檛 care,鈥� Coderre told BNN on Tuesday when asked about Uber鈥檚 potential withdrawal.
鈥淔rankly, we need to have some regulation, and if they threat[en] to leave, I don鈥檛 care.鈥�
But Uber Quebec鈥檚 general manager Jean-Nicolas Guillemette says the province already imposes the most 鈥渟evere鈥� regulations on Uber in Canada.
Adding to the existing regulations, Quebec鈥檚 Transport Minister Laurent Lessard announced last week that Uber drivers will soon be required to undergo 35 hours of training. Uber said that requirement will make it impossible for the company to continue operating in the province beyond Oct. 14.
Drivers would also be subject to mandatory police background checks, rather than conducting background checks through a private company as Uber currently does.
Uber launched in Quebec last year when the province signed an agreement on a one-year pilot project with the popular rideshare company. The agreement gave room for a one-year extension before a new law would have to come into effect.
Lessard said the government planned to extend the agreement, but only if Uber complied with the new training requirements and mandatory police background checks.
While Guillemette said the company isn鈥檛 against the background checks, the training is non-negotiable.
鈥淭he vast majority of our drivers are part-time," Guillemette said at a Montreal press conference on Tuesday.
Often, drivers test the Uber experience for a few hours before deciding to commit to regular service. Thirty-five hours of training before trying the Uber platform would destroy the company鈥檚 business model, he added.
鈥淭he problem with Uber is the way they have been conducting themselves,鈥� Coderre told BNN. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very condescending in thinking they own everything, so, I鈥檓 sorry. It鈥檚 not my cup of tea.鈥�
Taxi drivers have also been disgruntled with Uber鈥檚 presence since the company entered the market, evading decades-old limitations on costly taxi permits in Quebec.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a problem with competition, but at least we need to make sure that it鈥檚 on fair regulation, everybody has to follow them,鈥� Coderre said.
鈥淸I]t鈥檚 kind of an illegal taxi industry . . . at the same time we have thousands and thousands of people who are working here and paid a lot of money for their permits.鈥�
Of the 10,000 people who drive for Uber in Quebec, Guillemette said the hours worked add up to 3,000 full-time jobs province-wide.
Uber driver Rodolfo Estrada, who has been with the company for more than a year, says he doesn鈥檛 think more training is necessary.
鈥淎ll the Uber drivers have C4 - it's the license for taxis,鈥� Estrada told CTV Montreal, referring to Quebec鈥檚 Class 4C driver's license. 鈥淚 don't understand why we must make more hours, I don't understand that.鈥�
But Estrada says if he had no other choice, he would do the extra training.
鈥淚f the only condition is that, what鈥檚 the problem?鈥� Estrada told CTV Montreal.
Coderre agrees, saying that an ultimatum is not the answer.
鈥淢y question is 鈥榳hy?鈥� Why are they leaving because they need extra training?鈥� he said at a Montreal press conference.
鈥淭hey should have to train more, they鈥檙e dealing with people and it鈥檚 a safety issue.鈥�
With files from The Canadian Press, BNN, and CTV Montreal
