There are no immediate plans to shut down Uber despite the company launching a new service in defiance of the city’s request to halt operations until new regulations are in place, Mayor John Tory says.

“The notion of just shutting Uber down – it has 300,000 users plus and 15,000 drivers in Toronto – is not a proposition that is really practical,” Tory said Monday after meeting with Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne at Queen’s Park.

RELATED:Uber launches Toronto commuting service on four routes

Tory said the city continues “enforcement efforts” and “collecting evidence” to determine whether to apply for a second court injunction after a previous attempt failed last summer.

On Tuesday, the ride-booking giant says it will offer a new commuting service known as UberHop, which will operate on four downtown Toronto area routes. Passengers will pay a flat fee of $5.

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Similar to the company’s UberX service, the people driving for UberHop will be private citizens using their own larger vehicles to carry up to five passengers.

Tory said while he recognizes the “plight of taxi drivers,” the city is working to create a level playing field for all players in ground transportation while providing passengers with “affordable, convenient choices” that keep them safe.

Wynne echoed Tory’s comments, noting the sharing economy is posing challenges to the status quo.

“We need to make sure that people have efficient, effective and safe services as we had in the past.”

Last week, taxi drivers tied up traffic in downtown Toronto to highlight their frustration over city’s hall’s inaction with Uber. They complain that UberX drivers are unfair competition to an industry that is over-regulated and expensive to operate in.

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