Canadian Taxi Drivers Use Tariffs as Ammo Against Uber in Local Buy Canadian Campaign

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By Staff Writer with Agencies

TORONTO — March 12, 2025 — As the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and Canada continues to shape economic sentiment, Canadian taxi drivers in Toronto are taking matters into their own hands. Capitalizing on the surge of patriotism sparked by the “Buy Local, Buy Canadian” movement, taxi operators are now using tariffs as leverage in their decade-long feud with ridesharing giants like Uber.

A growing coalition of Toronto’s leading taxi companies, including Beck Taxi, Co-op Cabs, and Toronto 1 Taxi, has united with the Canadian-based ride-hailing app Hovr, urging city officials to ban U.S.-based services such as Uber and Lyft. Their argument? That Uber’s dominance in the ride-sharing market is siphoning money out of Canada, with profits flowing across the border, at the expense of local businesses.

“This is the perfect opportunity to support local Canadian businesses,” said Kristine Hubbard, operations manager for Beck Taxi. “Every taxi you see is a small independent, licensed business in this city. Let’s stop supporting these giant tech companies who are siphoning money out of our country.”

The letter signed by the coalition of taxi companies appeals to the idea of protecting local businesses and building a sustainable, homegrown economy. The group argues that with Canadian-owned companies already offering competitive ride-hailing services, such as Hovr, the demand for U.S.-based apps like Uber and Lyft is unnecessary.

The “Buy Local, Buy Canadian” movement has gained traction recently, driven in part by rising trade tensions. To support homegrown goods and services, Canadian consumers have turned away from U.S. products, including those in the transportation sector. Grocery stores have marked local products with large red maple leaf symbols, and even the Ontario government’s LCBO removed U.S. products from its shelves in a symbolic move of support for Canadian goods.

But Uber Canada is pushing back against this growing backlash, warning that such measures will harm local drivers and workers. Despite Uber being a U.S.-based company, it employs 500 people at its Canadian headquarters and supports over 180,000 drivers and delivery people across the country. Uber contends that it is a significant contributor to the Canadian economy and provides employment opportunities for many Canadians.

“When you use the Uber app, you might pay $30, but the drivers are getting $12, and the rest is going out of our country,” Hubbard argued. “That’s money that should stay here, supporting Canadian workers, not lining the pockets of a massive American corporation.”

The push to limit or shut down U.S.-based rideshare apps in favor of local alternatives marks a significant escalation in Canada’s economic “Buy Canadian” movement. For the taxi drivers, it’s more than just competition; it’s a matter of national pride and protecting local jobs. While Uber maintains that its Canadian operations are an integral part of the economy, the taxi companies are determined to make their case for a future that benefits Canadian businesses, not multinational giants.

As Canada grapples with its economic relationship with the U.S., the question remains: could boycotting Uber and Lyft be the next step in Canada’s strategy to assert its economic independence? For Toronto’s cabbies, it’s a battle worth fighting.