Demonstration at the Montreal airport | Taxi drivers denounce “abusive” working conditions
Taxi drivers demonstrated Monday at the Montreal airport to protest against “abusive” working conditions imposed by Taxelco.
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Around fifteen taxi drivers gathered at the Montreal-Trudeau international airport on Monday afternoon. Several held up signs reading “Stop the intimidation” or “Respect for drivers = respect for the law”.
In interview with The Presson the sidelines of the demonstration, several spoke of a “toxic” atmosphere and a climate of “intimidation”, as well as significant financial losses linked to “disproportionate” demands on the part of the Taxelco company.
Since 1is May 2025, the operational management of taxis at Montreal-Trudeau airport was entrusted to this company to ensure “better control of the quality and service offering to users” during the work, specified Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) in an email addressed to The Press.
But since then, taxi drivers have denounced an “untenable” situation, where the company is increasing the fees charged to drivers. “Some are forced to sleep in their car to get by [financièrement] », Says Abdelhamid Kouicem.
Last October, the group of taxi drivers at the Montreal airport (GCTAM) asked the Superior Court of Quebec to intervene on this subject.
Read the article “An untenable situation, according to taxi drivers”
“From one day to the next, things are imposed on us,” continues Abdelhamid Kouicem. They treat us like employees, even though we are self-employed workers. […] And if a driver complains, he gets intimidated. »
Drivers notably had to install advertising screens in their taxis serving as payment terminals – a “compulsory” device for “all drivers,” a Taxelco employee said in an email exchange that The Press was able to consult.
“The airport site remained accessible throughout this demonstration and there was no impact at the end of it,” ADM indicated in an email addressed to The Pressreferring us to Taxelco for more information on the situation.
Contacted by The PressFrédéric Prégent, CEO of Taxelco, indicated “taking note” of the drivers’ requests. “The organization manages all taxi operations at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport in accordance with the agreement reached with ADM Aéroports de Montréal in April 2025,” he said.
