'Why are they stalling?' Taxi drivers question new Uber deal

Montreal's taxi drivers are upset at a deal theQuebec government has reached with Uber thatwould give the ride-hailing service a three-monthreprievebefore it becomes subject to tough new legislation.

• Quebec government strikes deal to allow Uber to keep operating

A bill could be voted on in the coming days that would force drivers using Uber's UberX service to take out both a taxi driver'slicense and a permit to operate a taxi.

But under the deal struck Tuesday, the government will give Uberadded time to comply withthe legislation, allowing it to come up with a pilot project that would be acceptable to provincial authorities.

That breathing room, however temporary, left taxi drivers wondering why Quebec was willing to accommodateUber.

"They should solve this thing quickly," one driver told CBC News, asking that his name not be used."Why are they stalling and dragging their feet? There's something going on here."

• Uber says new Quebec legislation could shut down ride-hailing service

What can we do?

Taxi drivers say the competition brought byUberhas caused them to lose business. They feel its lobbying power has finally managed to bend the government's will.

"What can we do? We can't do anything because Uber has a lot of money," said another driver.

The taxi industry threatened earlier this week to refuse to drivepatrons toMontreal's Formula 1 Grand Prix, which takes place this weekend. It is one of the more lucrative annual events for the city's tourist economy.

• Quebec taxi drivers threaten summer of protests if Uber bill isn't passed

But the taxi industryseems to have backed down from its aggressive stancefollowing news of the government's deal with Uber, which increases the likelihood the bill will be passed sooner rather than later.

"We're not going to jam a festival, we're not going to jam the Montreal Grand Prix," said Benot Gigure, a spokesperson for theRTAM-Mtallos, a union that represents several thousands taxi drivers.

Still illegal, union says

The union pointed out that even with the reprieve, the UberX service is stillillegal in Quebec. It wantsthe company to cease operations until anagreement is reachedabout how it would function under Quebec's taxi laws.

For taxi drivers, the terms of such an agreement are simple they want Uber drivers to face the same rules they do.

"They don't pay what we pay," said one driver. "They call this competition?"