OSHAWA — The significant hike in toll fees on Highway 407 will make getting to work harder for Ontarians traveling from places like Vaughan, Oshawa, Brampton, Milton, Oakville, Pickering and Burlington, said Jennifer French, the NDP critic for Infrastructure, Transportation and Highways.
As of Feb. 1, Highway 407 ETR tolls will increase by as much as 14 per cent, with eastbound commuters on the stretch between Highway 427 and Highway 404 hit hardest — during afternoon rush hour, tolls there will rise from about 50 cents per kilometre to over 57 cents per kilometre. Between Burlington and Pickering, fees will rise by as much as 13 per cent in peak travel hours.
“Commuters who live along Highway 407 will be charged even heftier fees to get to work in the mornings, and to get home to their families at the end of each day. These are fees that will further pad corporate pockets, while regular Ontarians struggle to afford to get where they’re going,” French said.
“The last Conservative government sold off Highway 407 on the backs of Ontarians. Under the Liberals, tolls continued to climb, and people in the 905-area continued to lack reliable public transit options. Now, Doug Ford is making life even more expensive for real people, with his penchant for privatization ensuring that commuters from the 905 remain a captive market for private toll companies.
Ford keeps making decisions that serve private interests, instead of serving everyday Ontarians who need safe and affordable transit options. Ontarians deserve transit investment, the scrapping of unfair tolls on Highway 412 and expanded rail service.
“Ontarians also deserve a government that makes their commute affordable, rather than more expensive.”