Taxi firms support “Shop local” anti-tariff campaigns
90 per cent of Uber revenues leave Canada immediately
As US president Donald Trump floated the idea of imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods earlier this month, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and Councillors sprang to work on a plan to ensure that city officials prioritize Canadian products and services over American products. At its February 4th meeting, the City of Ottawa’s Finance Committee moved a fulsome resolution to promote the concept of “standing with Canadian businesses.”
The motion is considered ironic by local Taxi businesses which watched in dismay as Ottawa permitted American ride hailing companies including Uber and Lyft to decimate the local, Canadian-owned and operated ground transportation over the past decade.
“🚕 Support Local, Ride with Blue Line Transportation! 🇨🇦
With the recent tariff announcements, it’s more important than ever to stand with Canadian-owned businesses. Why send your hard-earned money south of the border to Uber and Lyft when you can support local Ottawa drivers with Blue Line Transportation?
💙 Why Choose a Blue Line Taxi Over Ride-Sharing Apps?
✅ Locally Owned & Operated – Your money stays in Ottawa, supporting families in our community.
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✅ 24/7 Reliable Service – No surge pricing, no surprises—just dependable rides when you need them.
✅ Wheelchair Accessible Options – Transportation for everyone, without limitations.
✅ Built-In Accountability – Lost something? We’ll help you find it. Need assistance? We’re just a call away.
Let’s put Ottawa first. Let’s #SupportLocal, ride with people who live here, work here, and care about our city.”
It is estimated that up to 90 per cent of Uber’s revenues are siphoned out of Canada to its San Francisco or Amsterdam offices immediately with each transaction.
“I guess it is true money can buy anything, even a politician’s soul,” says Marc Andre Way, CEO Blue Line and Capital Taxis. Way and others were successful in launching a class action lawsuit against Ottawa, which was deemed “negligent” in not enforcing its own by-laws in the May, 2024 decision.
“Hopefully, we will see a change in spending habits and understand that we, as Canadians, should also think of ourselves first. Local Ottawa Taxi companies have the same tech, we have local owners, local drivers, we just do not have the same Venture Capitalists funding the predatory take-over of an industry,” Way notes. “It is time for the politicians at all levels to realize that the US and the US firms have only one thing in mind, themselves and profit to be reinvested in the US.”
In Toronto, Beck Taxi’s Operations Manager Kristine Hubbard told Taxi News she finds government’s new-found support for local business “hilarious!”
Hubbard began sending tweets out on “X” February 3rd:
“If only our City would promote it’s own local industry. Just imagine that,” noted Hubbard, who also listed significant local advantages: “Your Made-in-Canada Toronto transportation solution. Dedicated drivers & vehicles commercially insured 24-7 to protect people inside and outside. Download the @BeckTaxi App for iOS & Android to order, track, pay and rate your ride. Drivers get 100% of the fare.”
The Ottawa Finance Committee resolution reads,
Image: Beck Taxi
“WHEREAS despite the 30-day reprieve achieved on February 3, the threat of U.S. tariffs against the Canadian economy remains; and
WHEREAS a 25 percent levy on Canadian imports to the U.S., along with anticipated retaliatory tariffs from Canada, will disrupt supply chains, increase prices for goods, depreciate the Canadian dollar, and negatively impact the Canadian economy and major industries, potentially leading to a recession; and
WHEREAS the City of Ottawa should take proactive measures to support federal and provincial efforts while mitigating financial impacts on the municipality,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that staff prepare an update outlining the economic forecast and potential negative impacts of the ongoing trade war on the City of Ottawa’s procurement exposure and financial positions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that staff present a plan to ensure the City’s procurement bylaws and processes are sufficiently flexible to support the purchase of local, Canadian and non-American goods and services, wherever possible; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor convene a meeting of local business leaders to develop an action plan to support and promote local products and businesses; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Mayor work with the Mayor of Gatineau on a request to the other levels of government to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City of Ottawa collaborate with other levels of government and representative business and trade organizations in efforts to create local supply chains for products and services currently purchased from American companies; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City of Ottawa examine only utilizing the banking and investment services of Canadian financial institutions.”
The motion was carried.
@Uber buh bye! Tweet:
— Shane DesLoges (@spikeonthewater) February 3, 2025
Deleting Uber. 🇨🇦 Supporting Canadian-owned transportation instead. If the U.S. wants a trade war, we’ll take our business home. Beck Taxi, TappCar, and local services only. #CanadaFirst #SupportLocal #NoToTrumpTariffs pic.twitter.com/vyX1b8m9kT
