Would it be asking too much to hope for an airport worthy of the name for Montreal? An airport that does not make headlines due to the chaos that reigns there, delayed flights and lost luggage. An airport that does not test the patience of travelers with endless queues at customs. And an airport which – this is the most recent scourge reported – does not have to deal with the explosion in the number of “illegal” taxis.
Our columnist Maxime Bergeron lifted the veil Thursday on this intolerable situation. He even reported that the driver of one of these taxis demanded $150 from the person he was transporting, threatening to abandon him on the highway if he didn’t pay! Yes, it’s the Wild West. The guilty ? The Ministère des Transports du Québec, which changed the rules of the game in 2020. Montréal lost the possibility of overseeing taxi regulations, and the Bureau du taxi – which kept order – disappeared.
The regulatory change has also paved the way for the solicitation of passengers at the airport. And it was all done knowingly. Indeed, Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) had expressed its concerns to Quebec City as early as 2017, when the legislative changes were proposed.
The ball is now in the court of the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault. She is currently in discussions to resolve the situation. Let’s put an end to this mess as soon as possible!