Taxi Industry Files $215 Million Class-Action Lawsuit Against City of Ottawa

Members of Ottawa’s taxi industry have launched a $215 million class-action lawsuit against the City of Ottawa. The lawsuit accuses the city of failing to properly enforce its own taxi bylaw after ride-sharing company Uber launched in the city about two years ago.

The plaintiff is Metro Taxi Ltd., which carries on business as Capital Taxi, and holds a licence to operate and dispatch taxicabs in the city of Ottawa. On Friday, a statement of claim was filed seeking an order declaring that the city’s updated taxi bylaws, which was passed in April, is beyond one’s power and legal authority.

The bylaw created a new class of license called private transportation company, which will essentially allow Uber to operate legally in Ottawa as of Sept. 30.

[via CBC]