The ride-hailing company Lyft, a major rival to Uber in the United States, is moving to gain ground internationally.

Lyft announced on Monday that it planned to begin operating in Toronto, its first international location, in time for the holiday season.

The company, which has benefited from several scandals at Uber, is trying to raise the stakes in its rivalry with its much larger competitor. Lyft has begun exploring an initial public offering in 2018, and is in the process of raising $1 billion in financing, getting support from Alphabet’s venture investment arm, CapitalG, along the way.

Lyft has also been jockeying for space in the self-driving car sector, agreeing in September to a partnership with Ford Motor Company to develop autonomous-vehicle designs and technology, and opening a research facility in Palo Alto, Calif.