(Montreal) Quebec solidaire proposes Sunday to limit to 20% the fees that platforms like DoorDash, Uber Eats and SkipTheDishes can charge merchants.
“Currently, delivery platforms charge absolutely incredible percentages to restaurateurs,” says the solidarity manager for Economy and Finance, Haroun Bouazzi.
According to him, restaurants “had a lot of trouble during COVID” and are certainly not at the end of their sentences, while “there is a recession that is looming”.
The maximum of 20% had been applied during the pandemic, thanks to a bill tabled in March 2021 by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, André Lamontagne. The law, which ended with the lifting of the health emergency, concerned restaurants whose dining room was closed or whose opening hours were reduced because of health measures.
“In the context of a pandemic, we have implemented exceptional measures to help restaurateurs get through the crisis,” said Minister Lamontagne’s office in a written communication. He says he is working “in collaboration with the ARQ (Association Restauration Québec) and the City of Montreal on new delivery solutions”.
Mr. Bouazzi, for his part, is convinced that capping fees permanently would either increase the profit margin of restaurateurs or lower the price paid by customers. Either way, it’s a good thing, he thinks.
Québec solidaire launches this appeal the day after the publication of an investigation by The Press1 mentioning prices beyond the maximum allowed and taxes collected illegally by the delivery sites.
According to Mr. Bouazzi, these revelations represent only the tip of the iceberg, while “these are companies that operate illegally or in legal loopholes all the time”. He cites the stored data, working conditions and status of delivery people and “accounting sleight of hand” tricks to avoid paying taxes as examples of issues that should be legislated.
Uber Eats, DoorDash and SkipTheDishes did not immediately respond to messages from The Canadian Press.