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A judge has ruled that taxi plate-holders can stand together to fight Ottawa City Hall and claim that the city’s new taxi rules are discriminatory.

In a written decision released Tuesday, Justice Robert Smith certified a class-action lawsuit by taxi plate holders, acknowledging that they have common beefs with the city’s vehicle-for-hire bylaw, which has allowed Uber to be street legal in the capital.

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“The goals of access to justice and judicial economy will be both achieved by proceeding as a class proceeding,” the judge wrote.

The statement of claim, which was filed in 2016, has the taxi plaintiffs asking for $215 million in damages from the city.

The judge heard arguments in 2017 on whether the plate-holders can proceed with their lawsuit as a class.

The city didn’t contest whether the plate holders should be considered a class but it doesn’t agree with the arguments supporting the actual claim.