Uber was forced to take the stand at Toronto City Hall on Tuesday to answer for its insurance and licensing gaps, and it is safe to say that the tech company did not leave unscathed.
“I don’t want Uber drivers in my ward. Get out!,” Giorgio Mammoliti, Councillor Ward 7 (York West), yelled at Christopher Schafer, public policy lead for Uber Canada, at one point in the meeting.
After a heated debate with Chair Cesar Pelacio over conduct, Mammoliti ran out of time for questioning but still shouted, “I’d like to know if every single one of your drivers that represents your company is clearly insured and any driver understands that before they get into their vehicle.”
Mammoliti also distributed black arm bands to encourage solidarity with the law-abiding taxi industry, according to CBC News.
"I've bought a few hundred of these bands today and I'm going to be asking taxi drivers to put them on to remind everybody at city hall that the people that are wearing the bands are the ones that have played by the rules," he said.
At another point in the day, Mammoliti interrogated a ride-sharing operator over his insurance coverage. That driver agreed to tell his insurance carrier that he was an UberX driver after the Councillor’s “prodding,” according to Toronto Star reporter Betsy Powell, who live-tweeted the event.
Councillor Karygianni, Ward 39, Scarborough-Agincourt, also scrutinized UberX drivers, telling one, “You have already broken the federal law.” He later brought up insurance to an Uber supporter who testified about how much the service had benefited his prospects.
City council was summoned to discuss a staff report that was issued by Municipal Licensing and Standards and backed by Mayor John Tory. The report contained a proposal for the city to formally regulate Uber.
Before that can, however, Uber would be required to “obtain insurance coverage at a similar level to taxicabs and limousines that is sufficient to protect the drivers of and individuals using private vehicles-for-hire.”
Other highlights of Wednesday’s meeting included a taxi driver who expressed hope for the development of aa Mayor App so he could remove John Tory, the subsequent joke “Ask John Tory, he’ll tow anything,” Mammoliti uttering “This is not a democracy” before an attendee was ejected for calling Tory a dictator and Chair Palacio telling Karygiannis to “stop the drama.”
The report and its suggestions for regulations could go to council as soon as September 30.
