Quebec government to hold hearings on taxi industry

MONTREAL – The Quebec government is setting up a legislature committee to look into the taxi industry as well as related services such as Uber.

Transport Minister Jacques Daoust says Uber’s arrival on the scene means changes are inevitable and that he wants the committee to hear from the main players involved in the controversial debate.

Daoust says he is not against the kind of technology used by Uber but that it needs to be regulated.

His announcement comes a day after the taxi industry went to court to seek a permanent injunction against Uber that is also aimed at deactivating the company’s app throughout the province.

The industry says Uber drivers are breaking the law and that the company’s services are illegal.

Uber argues that developing a mobile app that lets customers hail nearby cars makes it a technology company rather than a transportation firm.