The ridesharing service Uber is now free to do business in the City of Calgary thanks to the approval of amendments to the bylaw governing the agencies by city council on Monday morning.

The vote to amend the rules passed with a vote of 11-4 by council at about 11:30 a.m.

The changes now mean that the fee structure for ride sharers would now be scalable and the application process for drivers would be better streamlined.

Officials with Uber released a statement on Monday, saying that it is pleased that council voted to approve the bylaw changes.

"As we're said, these changes will allow us to offer service to riders and drivers by early December and we'll be sharing our exact launch date with Calgarians soon!"

Earlier this year, the city changed the Livery Bylaw to make accommodations for ridesharing companies but, at the time, Uber said they could not do business under those rules.

Only five companies registered with the city under the previous rules, with just over 80 drivers on the road working for them.

The Livery and Transportation Committee held intensive meetings on those changes leading up to the vote on Monday and ultimately came back with the decision to reject the changes.

However, administrators advised council to go ahead and approve the changes.

Dozens of taxi drivers attended the council meeting on Monday, all in opposition to the changes, saying that the city is doing too much to appease one company.

"Uber is telling the councillors and Mayor Nenshi which way they want it and, guess what, they listened to what they wanted and they passed it and that is shame," said Mike el Masri, an Associated Cab driver.

El Masri says that he and the other Associated Cab drivers have no problem with Uber itself, but take issue with the way the company approached the city and how council reacted.

"The frustration here is these TNC (transportation network company) companies are operating and we don't have a problem with that, yet the only TNC company is Uber and they are saying 'we are not going to work in the city unless the city council will change the bylaw' and that is disgusting."

The bylaw will now move forward as a one-year-old pilot project.

Council also approved the release of another 222 taxi licences to help companies remain competitive with the ride sharers.

Mayor Nenshi was in opposition to the new licences.