Ride-hailing service Hopp rolls into Canada with several challenges awaiting it [Video]

Competition for Uber and Lyft is rolling into Canada.

Estonian company Bolt announced Tuesday that it has launched its Hopp ride-hailing service in the Greater Toronto Area.

Hopp’s Canadian debut adds Toronto, Mississauga, Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill to the roster of 600 cities in 50 countries it already operates in.

In Canada, however, the company may not be in for a smooth ride.

It faces stiff competition from Uber, which has been in the market since 2012, and Lyft, which entered in 2017, along with a variety of regional players.

Yet Hopp’s general manager for Canada David Riggs maintains the market lacks competition.

“Ride hailing isn’t a winner-takes-all marketplace,” he said.

“In fact, monopolies get challenged in these marketplaces all the time and in the last number of years, regional players have challenged large competitors within the marketplace and been very successful.”

He believes Hopp can find success in Canada by addressing both a lack of choice and “less favourable” conditions for drivers and riders alike.

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