Province scraps ‘unfair tolls’ on Highway 412, 418

Durham Region residents now have some cheaper commuting options as the province scraps tolls on two major highways in the region on Tuesday.

The Ford government announced in February that the tolls on Highways 412 and 418 would come to an end on April 5, and Premier Doug Ford made the announcement official in Whitby on Tuesday to mark the removal of the tolls.

“The unfair and expensive tolls on Highways 412 and 418 are officially gone for good,” said Premier Doug Ford in a statement, adding. “While the previous government imposed these tolls on drivers, our government is getting rid of them.”

The two routes are the only north-south highways in Ontario. The province says the removal of the tolls will allow more travel options for residents in the area.

Transportation minister, Caroline Mulroney, said “being able to drive on these highways for free will save drivers both time and money and boost the economic competitiveness of the region.”

The government says its decision won’t affect rates on the separate, privately owned 407 ETR highway. A Ministry of Transportation report from last year said tolling operations on Highways 407, 412 and 418 generated $160 million in total between 2017 and 2020.

Revenue from Highways 412 and 418 made up 24 per cent of the total, at $38.2 million. The report estimated that it would take more than 25 years to pay construction costs on the two highways.

Getting rid of the tolls on the connector routes was promised by many local MPPs before the last provincial vote. Local councillors have called for it to try and remove rush-hour gridlock from the adjoining two-lane arterial roads.

Both highways were built under the previous Liberal government and connect Highway 401 to the 407 — highway 412 runs through Whitby while the recently completed 418 runs through Clarington.

The announcement to remove the tolls came amid a number of other transportation announcements from the Ford government leading up to the provincial election in June.

Last month, the province announced a 30-year plan for public transit and highway expansions across the Greater Toronto Area and Golden Horseshoe, with plans to spend $82 billion in the next decade.

As part of the plan, the province intends to complete the controversial Highway 413 and Bradford Bypass. Mulroney will be in York Region on Tuesday to provide an update on the Bradford Bypass.

The proposed highways have received their share of criticism with detractors claiming the new routes will have significant environmental impact without saving much time for drivers.

The province also intends to widen bottlenecks on Highways 400, 401, 403 and the QEW as part of the long-term plan.

The province announced last week that speed limits on six sections of Ontario highways will soon be set to 110 kilometres per hour on a permanent basis — following a pilot project that tested the higher speeds.

Earlier in March, the province announced the elimination of double fares for some GO Transit riders in the GTA, not including the TTC.

In February, Ford confirmed his government will scrap licence plate renewal fees and stickers and offer refunds for eligible Ontario drivers. The move will took effect on March 13.