How to save money while travelling in the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario

As Greater Toronto Area residents continue to deal with soaring prices in so many facets of day-to-day life, new data shows higher gas prices have been fueling inflation prices in Ontario and Canada.

With a few weeks left of summer vacation time, it’s still the prime season for exploring the province and the desire to get out while juggling household costs can be problematic for many.

“Our members are feeling the pinch in all different areas and so it really critical over the summer months that if you are taking a road trip that you do a little bit of planning ahead of time to help alleviate some of that pinch,” Nadia Matos, a communications manager with CAA South Central Ontario, said.

CityNews asked Matos what motorists can do to help control unavoidable gas costs. She said there are smaller things we can all do, starting specifically with how we drive.

“Fuel consumption really starts to increase at around 90 km/h, so whenever you can and you’re going on long stretches of the road, you keep your car on cruise control,” she said.

“That’s going to help your fuel economy and you also want to avoid that ‘jack-rabbiting’ either on the highway or in the city limits, and that’s that really hard acceleration or the hard braking. That stuff actually lowers your fuel economy anywhere from 10 to 40 per cent.”

One way to curb poorer fuel economy is to travel along a route parallel to an Ontario 400-series highway. For example, instead of going to Ottawa along Highways 401 and 416 drivers can take Highway 7 with a little bit of a lower speed limit and rates of travel.

Matos said keeping tabs on air in the tires by making sure it’s as close to the manufacturer’s recommendations can boost fuel economy. She said reducing the amount of cargo you carry can both help with gas too, adding an extra 100 pounds can mean a one-per-cent bump in fuel consumption.

Lastly, Matos urged people to be prepared for roadside emergencies should something go wrong.

“It’s about making sure that you have plenty of water to nonperishable snacks if you are going on a road trip, making sure that you have those things ahead of time and really anticipating, ‘OK, is my car in good working condition? You know, where am I going on my destination? Where are the locations that if I need help where I can stop in?” she said.

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However, if driving isn’t your thing, there are discounts to be had through local and regional transit services.

Mark Childs, the chief marketing officer for Metrolinx — the parent Ontario government organization that oversees GO Transit, UP Express and Presto, said the transit agency is starting to see a bounce-back in ridership coming out of the pandemic.

He attributed the increase in ridership on GO Transit to, in part, newer fare deals such as the policy allowing children 12 and under to ride fare-free, weekday group passes and special weekend fares.

“We’re approaching 130 per cent (weekend GO Transit ridership) of what we saw pre-pandemic, so a lot more people choosing transit as the accessible option,” Childs said.

On weekends, riders can spend $10 for a single-day pass of $15 for a two-day pass. The passes allow each rider to travel anywhere on the GO Transit network, which runs across central Ontario to places like Niagara Falls, Hamilton, Kitchener, Barrie and Peterborough. Also there is no charge for parking at GO stations where you can leave vehicles for up to 48 hours.

Many local transit services outside of Toronto don’t charge a co-fare when connecting with GO Transit. In Niagara Falls, Childs noted local WEGO transit shuttle fares are built into certain GO Transit ticket offerings.

For riders who have Presto fare cards, Childs said that allows people to access discounts at various attractions, restaurants and events.

If you’re looking to go to the CNE, for example, there can be up to a 43-per-cent discount on ticket prices by buying online and providing your Presto card number.

Other discounts accessible through the Presto Perks online portal include Turo, ROM, Just for Laughs, Second City, the musical Hamilton, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Hockey Hall of Fame, Ontario Science Centre, Toronto Zoo, Great Wolf Lodge, Treetop Trekking and Union Chicken.

This is the first in a three-part series on ways to save money in household budgets.