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Months after he was laid off from a local food processing plant, David Chawi is banking on Uber’s return to Calgary to help him pay his bills.

During Uber’s short-lived stint in the city, Chawi said he frequently drove for the ride-sharing service, working late into the night and early morning to supplement his income from a part-time cleaning job.

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“A couple of months ago, I lost my full-time job; I got laid off, and I can’t find any more (work),” said Chawi, who used to work in packaging at Lilydale Inc.’s processing plant in southeast Calgary. “It’s not good for me.”

Uber suspended its app-based service in Calgary after a judge approved a temporary injunction against the company. City officials argued drivers were picking up customers without proper insurance and licensing, sparking legal and safety concerns.

City officials launched a sting operation to catch offending drivers, charging 19 people with 52 traffic safety and bylaw offences, with 48 charges pending against another 19 drivers.