Uber announced that it will cease operations of their ride-hailing service in Quebec as of October 14, 2017. The decision comes after tough new legislation was announced last week.
This is sad news for over 50 office workers who are employed by Uber in Quebec. The service has been popular among residents, as they have employed over 10,000 drivers.
The good news is Uber left an option to reverse the decision, but will only do so if the government agrees to reevaluate the regulations. Uber has been operating since October of last year under what was called a “pilot project”.
During this project, Uber drivers were given tickets for driving vehicles that were too old, accepting rides hailed from the streets, and some even had criminal records, according to a spokesman for Quebec’s minister for transportation.
The spokesman continued on to say the new regulations will require Uber drivers to complete 35 hours of training and criminal background checks are to be validated by the Quebec police, rather by third-party companies.
Uber officials want the government to continue the pilot project and negotiate other solutions. However, Quebec’s minister of transportation office said they are willing to negotiate, but not on the basis of that.
Uber’s new CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, has his focus on rebuilding the company’s image, as Quebec is only part of the company’s problem. They are also battling London’s decision to strip them of their license to operate in the city.
