Uber threatens to pull out of Quebec, says ride-sharing rules onerous

Announcement comes in wake of the firm battling another row over its license in London

Ride-hailing service Uber Technologies Inc said on Tuesday that it will stop operating in the Canadian province of Quebec next month, pulling out to avoid following tough new regulations announced last week.

Uber is pulling out of Canada's second-most populous province as it battles a decision to strip the company of its license to operate in London, the latest in a series of regulatory attacks on Uber as new Chief Executive Dara Khosrowshahi seeks to rebuild the company's image.

Uber's Quebec general manager, Jean-Nicolas Guillemette, said the company would cease operations in the province on Oct. 14.

Uber employs more than 50 office workers in the province, where more than 10,000 drivers have worked for the company, he said.

The company left room to reverse its decision, calling on the government to reconsider strict regulations announced on Friday that tightened up rules that had let Uber operate since October under the terms of a pilot project.

"We're asking the government to renew the pilot project and let's sit down and find a solution to this," he said.

Representatives of Quebec's transport ministry were not immediately available to comment.

The new rules require drivers to undergo 35 hours of training, in line with requirement for traditional taxi drivers.

Taxi operators have opposed Uber's presence in Quebec, sometimes blocking traffic during protests in the province's largest city, Montreal.

The move means Uber will cease operations in Quebec cities including Montreal, the country's second-largest city, and Quebec City. It does not affect operations in other Canadian cities, including Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton.

Uber does not operate in Vancouver or Winnipeg, due to a lack of provincial regulation in the provinces of British Colombia and Manitoba, respectively.

Uber rival Lyft, which currently only operates in the United States, has started exploring a move north of the border. Its lobbyists have met several times with municipal officials in Toronto, according to city records.