Highway 407 owner says no active buyback discussions with Ontario government
Pressure is increasing on the provincial government to tap into the underused tolled Highway 407 to unclog congestion on Highway 401.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his transportation minister have signalled an openness to consider buying back the 407, which was sold to a private consortium by the Mike Harris government in 1999.
“The Ontario Government has not engaged in any discussions with us regarding a potential buyback of Highway 407 ETR,” Christina Basil, Vice President of Communications and Government Relations for the highway tells CTV News in a statement.
Progressive Conservatives have also urged to pay the tolls for heavy trucks, a proposal aimed to take cargo off the 401 to create some breathing room.
"We're always in conversation with a 407 on a variety of, issues and measures. Our government's response has always been to find ways to relieve congestion in the province,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said Friday when asked what options with the 407 were under consideration.
Transport Action Now President Peter Miasek argues there are many advantages to covering trucker tolls over a 407 buyback or building new highways.
"It can be implemented quickly. It spans the entire GTA. It's lower cost. It saves truckers a lot of journey time," Miasek said in an interview Friday.
“It decongests other highways, not only the 401 but Highway 7 has a lot of trucks and it’s nearby.”
In 2021, using data from a 2017 Wynne government study, Transport Action Now estimated toll relief would move 12,000 to 21,000 trucks off Highway 401 every day.
The cost then was about $260 million a year. Miasek concedes the bill would be higher now with costlier tolls, but points out alternatives are also more expensive.
"We concluded in 2021 that it was half as costly to subsidize trucks on the 401 versus building a new highway."
Last year, advocacy group Environmental Defence estimated the cost of covering tolls would total $4 billion over 30 years. Premier Ford has put the value of Highway 407 at $35 billion.
For now, Steven Del Duca, the former Liberal transportation minister turned mayor of Vaughan, is staying on the sidelines of the debate.
"I know our residents want to be able to move from point A to point B. I sincerely hope that in this case, the province takes a very, prudent and responsible look at all of the options on the table,” Del Duca said.
On Tuesday afternoon, Vaughan city councillors will consider a motion urging the province to conduct a feasibility study of a Highway 407 buyback and to conduct a one-year pilot covering trucker tolls.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A police photographer recounts the harrowing day of the Polytechnique massacre
Montreal crime scene photographer Harold Rosenberg witnessed a lot of horror over his thirty years on the job, though nothing of the magnitude of what he captured with his lens at the Polytechnique on December 6, 1989. He described the day of the Montreal massacre to CTV Quebec Bureau Chief Genevieve Beauchemin.
NDP's Singh forces debate on $250 cheques for more Canadians; Conservatives cut it short
With the fate of the federal government's promised $250 cheques for 18.7 million workers hanging in the balance, the NDP forced a debate Friday on a motion pushing for the prime minister to expand eligibility. The conversation was cut short, though, by Conservative MPs' interventions.
DEVELOPING Police believe gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO has left New York City
The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday.
Purolator, UPS pause shipments from couriers amid Canada Post strike
Purolator and UPS have paused shipments from some courier companies as they try to work through a deluge of deliveries brought on by the Canada Post strike.
Northern Ontario man sentenced for killing his dog
WARNING: This article contains graphic details of animal abuse which may be upsetting to some readers. A 40-year-old northern Ontario man is avoiding prison after pleading guilty to killing his dog earlier this year.
Sask. father who kept daughter from mom to prevent COVID-19 vaccine free from additional prison time
Michael Gordon Jackson, the Saskatchewan father who withheld his then seven-year-old daughter from her mom for nearly 100 days to prevent the girl from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, was handed a 12-month prison sentence and 200 days probation on Friday, but credited with time served.
Health Canada says daily cannabis use hasn't changed much since legalization
Health Canada says daily cannabis use has remained stable since it was legalized in 2018.
Quebec premier wants to ban praying in public
Premier François Legault took advantage of the last day of the parliamentary session on Friday to announce to 'Islamists' that he will 'fight' for Quebec values and possibly use the notwithstanding clause to ban prayer in public places such as parks.
Ticketmaster hidden fees settlement credits expected in 2025 following class-action lawsuit by Regina lawyer
A longstanding lawsuit against Ticketmaster is nearing its end, with a judge expected to approve the more than $6 million dollar settlement before the end of the year.