Taxis owners reject Quebec bonuses

For the owners of taxi permits, the measures presented Monday by the Minister of Transport, François Bonnardel, constitute an inexplicable turn-around insofar as they literally ignore the consensus that had been established at the negotiating table between the representatives of the drivers taxi and those of the government.

It is with great disappointment that we will be against the bill [17] as announced yesterday by Minister Bonnardel.

We have been in good faith, including the minister's representatives, and that is why we are completely confused to see a decision without any explanation from them to tell us why they refuse the points on which we had a consensusregretted at a press conference the ATRQ advisor, Guy Chevrette.

Monday, the Minister of Transport, François Bonnardel, ended the process by announcing a series of proposals at zero cost for taxpayers and users supposed to solve several irritants in the transformation that is currently taking place in the taxi industry in Quebec.

Among the measures presented, Québec proposed, among other things, to significantly advance the payment of the $ 814 million in compensation promised to license holders.

The minister also proposed the establishment of an anti-dumping mechanism, the creation of a national table of consultation of the taxi industry to advise the government, as well as a $ 10 million to $ 40 million increase in the assistance program. for the special needs of taxi license owners.

Québec also offers exclusivity for the traditional taxi industry for paratransit contracts concluded with transportation organizations while preserving this essential service for people with disabilities.

However, these proposals leave out many consensus reached during the negotiations, deplores the ATRQ.

Three days ago, we thought we would come before you to announce a consensus on six or seven points of importance. […] Unfortunately yesterday, out of all odds, we are told the few points they have selected, but we ignore the most important points in terms of the sustainability of the industry.

Not enough protection

For the ATRQ, the Quebec proposal offers only a weak protection of the markets reserved for the taxi industry in the face of competition from Uber type transport services.

The Association claimed for example the exclusivity of government contracts, the protection of certain territories and quotas or the gradual increase of the supply, can we read in a statement.

<q data-attributes = "{" lang ": {" value ":" fr "," label ":" French "}," value ": {" html ":" Quotas, they do not talk anymore. It had been agreed that during the transition period there should only be 5% more cars if needed. Tomorrow morning, someone could arrive with 200 more cars and we would return directly to the time of Uber "," text ":" The quotas, they do not speak any more. It was agreed that during the transition period there would be only 5% more cars if needed. Tomorrow morning, someone could arrive with 200 more cars and we would come back directly to Uber's time "}}" lang = "en">Quotas, they do not talk about it anymore. It was agreed that during the transition period there would be only 5% more cars if needed. Tomorrow morning, someone could arrive with 200 more cars and we would come back directly to Uber's time, says Guy Chevrette.

The sums proposed by Québec to offset the loss of value of the permits generated by its reform of the taxi industry are also still insufficient and unfairly distributed, denounces the ATRQ.

Accelerated payment of benefits would also be reviewed.

They offered us the faster payment of compensation, except that they rejected the compensation method they had been offered.

At the same time, the Association denounced Quebec's last-minute request, which now requires it to represent more than 80% of the members of the taxi industry.

Claiming to have toured the regions of the province, the ATRQ has spoken on behalf of more than 75% of taxi license holders in all regions of Quebec outside Montreal. In the metropolitan area, the ATRQ says it has the support of the Association of Taxi License Owners, Haitian Taxi Workers and Coop Montréal.

Finally, the ATRQ is asking the government to amend Bill 17 to ensure that the consultation table promised by Quebec has the mandate to advise the government on the regulations that concern the delimitation of territories, quotas and the distribution of compensation to licensees.

Bill 17

Minister of Transport François Bonnardel tabled Bill 17 on March 20, 2019, which provides for significant deregulation of the taxi industry and regularization of Uber-type transportation services or similar businesses.

The bill, according to Quebec, must modernize the paid passenger transportation industry and provide customers with more services, more competition and more price transparency.

For drivers, Quebec promised a lighter regulatory environment, savings in operating costs and more equity between players in the industry.