Six thousand people have downloaded the company’s app so far, and it intends to train 400 additional drivers in the coming weeks. Eva plans to expand to Quebec City and the Gatineau area later this year. Meanwhile, the U.S. National Labour Relations Board ruled Uber drivers are contractors, not employees. (Montreal Gazette, Bloomberg)

Talking point: Eva is run as a co-operative, where drivers get a greater share of money from each ride than they would from Uber. Drivers can also vote on company decisions, and it won’t store personal data or sell it to third parties. Uber welcomed Eva’s arrival to Quebec, with company spokesman Jean-Christophe de le Rue saying, “Any time you add mobility options for Montrealers, it’s good news.” Uber has outlasted a Quebec rival that focused on ethics in its marketing efforts before. Téo Taxi, which used electric vehicles and paid its drivers hourly, shut down in January after three years. Uber won’t just be facing off against one Quebec rival this time, though. One of Quebec’s wealthiest men, Pierre Karl Péladeau, is relaunching Téo. And, iCabbi, a Dublin-based company, opened an office in Montreal to help the city’s taxi companies compete with Uber.