← Home

Drivers’ Petition

The people who drive Toronto deserve better

Taxi drivers, Uber and Lyft drivers and delivery workers keep Toronto moving. Many of them are newcomers: across Canada, 57.5% of people giving rides or making deliveries through apps are landed immigrants.[1] Here is what they face every day.

Paid for only part of the day. Since July 2025, Ontario law guarantees app workers the minimum wage, now $17.95 an hour, but only for time on a trip or delivery. Time spent waiting for the next request is not paid.[2][3][4]

Poverty pay after costs. A study for the City found that in early 2024 the median ride-hail driver netted between $5.19 and $5.97 an hour for all time logged in, after fuel, insurance, repairs and financing.[1]

Every cost lands on the driver. The law does not cover fuel, vehicle maintenance, insurance or phone plans. The companies pass that risk to workers.[5]

Cut off by an app. Companies must now give a written reason, and two weeks’ notice for removals of 24 hours or more, with exceptions. A reason is not a fair hearing.[3]

Taxi owners lost most of their investment. A Toronto taxi plate sold for $360,000 in 2012. By 2018 owners said it was worth about $30,000.[6][7]

City Hall stalled. In December 2024, City staff recommended capping ride-hail licences at 80,429. The Mayor’s executive committee sent it back to staff instead.[8][9]

Drivers do the work, so drivers should share in the value. That is why I am asking you: should Toronto build its own ride and delivery app, City-owned or driver-owned?

← Back

Thank you for adding your voice!

Share this petition with every driver you know, at the taxi stand, in your WhatsApp groups and at the airport lot. Toronto changes when we speak together.

Many drivers prefer text messages. Either one is fine.

I am a…(required)

How should Toronto build its own ride and delivery app?(required)

Sources

  1. City of Toronto, Analysis of Driver Wages in the Vehicle-for-Hire Industry (Dec 2024), including Table 3 and Statistics Canada 2023 data: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-251342.pdf
  2. Government of Ontario, Rights and protections for digital platform workers: https://www.ontario.ca/page/rights-and-protections-digital-platform-workers
  3. O. Reg. 344/24 under the Digital Platform Workers’ Rights Act, 2022: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/240344
  4. Ontario Newsroom, minimum wage $17.95 effective Oct 1, 2026: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1008075/ontario_protecting_workers_by_raising_minimum_wage
  5. Workers’ Action Centre, What you need to know about Ontario’s new gig-work law: https://workersactioncentre.org/ontarios-new-gig-work-law/
  6. The Globe and Mail, Why Uber is the best thing to happen to Toronto’s taxi industry (2016): https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/why-uber-is-the-best-thing-to-happen-to-torontos-taxi-industry/article29825194/
  7. Toronto Star, Toronto taxi owners sue city for $1.7 billion over arrival of Uber, lost plate value (Nov 2, 2018): https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/toronto-taxi-owners-sue-city-for-1-7-billion-over-arrival-of-uber-lost-plate/article_95a4a406-d80d-501c-92e9-dbb5ab8a1c1f.html
  8. City of Toronto, 2024 Review of the Vehicle-for-Hire By-law and Industry: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-251312.pdf
  9. CBC News, Proposed Toronto ride-share driver cap sent back to city staff after marathon meeting (Dec 2024): https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ride-share-cap-debate-1.7406508

Share photo: Milan Suvajac, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Guide