Toronto is seeking a court injunction to halt Uber's operations, saying that the San Francisco-based ride-sharing service has been operating in the city since 2012 without a proper license.

Specifically, the city is concerned about Uber's operations including lack of driver training and vehicle inspections, inadequate insurance, as well as increased traffic. "Uber's operations pose a serious risk to the public, including those who are signing on as drivers", city officials said in the statement.

Price surge – the service sometimes charges more based on demand – was also cited as one of the reasons behind the city's move.

For its part, Uber blames the local taxi companies for the situation, saying that they are trying to protect their profit margins by pressuring city council to stifle competition. The company has refused to make any changes to its operations, and is asking its customers to sign a petition against the city.

Uber has been embroiled in similar legal battles around the world. Back in August this year, a German court imposed a preliminary injunction on the ride-sharing service, saying that it was operating illegally because its drivers do not carry the appropriate permits and insurance.

This isn't the only controversy the company has faced in recent days. Last week, Uber's senior vice president of business Emil Michael, stirred up a hornet's nest by saying that the company should consider hiring a team of researchers to "dig up dirt" on journalists who were critical of the company. However, he later apologized for his remarks.