Uber condemns Toronto taxi drivers as court fight continues in Vancouver

Uber has tried to turn the tables on the City of Toronto by claiming that 26 of its licensed taxi drivers didn't meet the San Francisco-base company's standards.

The Toronto Star reported that Uber Toronto's general manager, Ian Black, made this claim in an affidavit filed in his firm's legal battle with the city.

The story carried the standard disclaimer: "None of the allegations have been proven in court."

Uber, which created a ride-booking app, has claimed that it relied on a company to conduct background checks on the Toronto taxi drivers.

This included looking at offences committed under the Highway Traffic Act and the Criminal Code of Canada.

Uber's founder and CEO, Travis Kalanick, is also in a fight with the Vancouver taxi industry.

In November, four companies launched a lawsuit in B.C. Supreme Court claiming that Uber is preparing to illegally launch its service here.

It came after Uber was reportedly plotting a comeback in Vancouver.

In 2012, the Passenger Transportation Board in B.C. shut down Uber's ride-sharing service after it had quietly started offering service with a soft launch.

Uber has maintained that the recent court action "is a prime example of the Vancouver taxi industry's singular goal: protecting its own cartel, even at the expense of consumers and its own drivers".

Meanwhile, B.C.'s transportation minister, Todd Stone, has been informed that if Uber launches in B.C., it could "create significant regulatory challenges, compete with a regulated industry, and cause public safety concerns".

In October, NDP Leader John Horgan held a news conference calling upon Premier Christy Clark to ensure that app-based ride-shares fall under the same rules as the taxi industry.

After all, Uber isn't the only one in the game. Its rival Lyft has reportedly started marketing ride shares for $2.25 in certain parts of San Francisco, which is significantly lower than Uber's flat rate of $5.