Manhattan has implemented a congestion toll. Should Toronto think about it too?

Manhattan has become the latest city to introduce a congestion toll as New York struggles to manage the growing volume of vehicular traffic in the city.

Many people driving into the Big Apple during peak hours will now have to pay $9 if they want to travel south of Central Park on weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tolls during off-peak hours will be $2.25

Other cities around the world, such as London and Stockholm, have introduced similar charges to try and stem congestion as the number of cars threatens to bring traffic to a standstill.

For congestion-weary commuters in the Greater Toronto Area, the move begs the question: should we try that too?

According to a 2023 study by the Toronto Region Board of Trade, congestion costs the region $11 billion annually. Another report released recently by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis (CANCEA) pegged the value of lost productivity due to congestion in Ontario at around $12.8 billion, with roughly $10 billion of that accounted for by the GTHA.

While Toronto often gets high marks for quality of life, traffic is consistently cited as a major factor holding the city back.

The gridlock has even been noted by celebrity visitors to the city like Tom Cruise, as well as players on the Utah Hockey Club, who ditched their vehicle and walked over to Scotiabank Arena to play the Maple Leafs because traffic was so bad.

With a long list of major construction projects slated for the city in 2025, including ongoing construction around the Gardiner Expressway, it seems unlikely that things will improve in the near future. 

While a congestion charge does not appear to be in the cards for Toronto drivers for now, congestion remains an ever-present issue for those who live in and visit the city.

CP24 wants to hear from you. How is Toronto’s congestion affecting your life? What do you do, if anything, to avoid, congestion in the city? Would a congestion toll be worthwhile if it actually reduced the number of cars in the core and saved time? What else should the city try?

Share your story by emailing us at [e-mail] with your name, general location and phone number in case we want to follow up. Your comments may be used in a CP24 story.

With files from AP