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Toll Roads

Should Toronto start implementing tolls on its highways?

  • Total voters
    111
The roads in Toronto are maintained by Toronto through property taxes. Visitors from outside of Toronto (including employees, customers, etc.) use the roads for free. As long as Toronto residents can get a rebate for using their own roads, put a toll on them.
 
I don't agree with tolls on highways as long as there is no viable alternative for drivers to take. I do not believe in punishing drivers for the lack of public transit service provided to them by the government. Why do we pay such large amounts of taxes in Canada if we're going to get charged to drive on the roads we are supposed to be paying taxes for?
 
W. K. Lis said:
The roads in Toronto are maintained by Toronto through property taxes. Visitors from outside of Toronto (including employees, customers, etc.) use the roads for free. As long as Toronto residents can get a rebate for using their own roads, put a toll on them.
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Why should they get a rebate, if the toll is paying for the road?
 
BMO said:
I don't agree with tolls on highways as long as there is no viable alternative for drivers to take. I do not believe in punishing drivers for the lack of public transit service provided to them by the government. Why do we pay such large amounts of taxes in Canada if we're going to get charged to drive on the roads we are supposed to be paying taxes for?
Click to expand...

Red herring. Paying to use the asphalt at any given time is no more offensive than paying to use the gas, the insurance, the tires, the car itself, the oil changes, etc. That we have the belief that roads should always and everywhere be free to use until there exists a perfect alternative (it will never happen, especially without tolls) is a cultural artifact, and one that does not exist in many other countries, including the evn more car-mad USA.

Zero-toll highways are regressive, just like government funded yacht maintenance. They benefit the middle class and rich disproportionately, since the poor aren't likely to own cars, much less commute very far. We pay so much in taxes in Canada, where is my government funded yacht maintenance?!?
 
Lack of highway tolls also rewards people for living farther from their workplace, which is opposite of what we should be doing...
 
doady said:
Lack of highway tolls also rewards people for living farther from their workplace, which is opposite of what we should be doing...
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True. It's just another subsidy for sprawl.
 
Tolls would benefit TTC

Tolls should be implemented on all 400 series highways, the QEW, Gardiner and DVP as soon as possible with the provision for all toll proceeds to be used for improvements to the TTC. Ideal implementation of tolls would involve the following:

1. Automatic toll collection as used by the 407.
2. First year rate of 5¢/km for cars and light trucks.
3. Second year rate of 10¢/km for cars and light trucks.
4. Increase of 5¢/km/year until equivalent to 407.
5. Transponders are purchased, not rented, and bought back by the toll collection agency when user moves out of area.

http://www.407etr.com/About/custserv_fees.asp
 
Juan_Lennon416 said:
If implemented, I will find a way not to pay any road tolls :D
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That's exactly why tolls or congestion zones work so well; suddenly the tolled road actually becomes usable again; and those that have to use it, aren't penalized with the cost of sitting in gridlock!
 
Does it come with less tickets/accidents?

My proposal to addition of tolls, is if one caught DUI (or using cellphone while driving) on toll highways, not only fines and usual points would apply but as well as heavier toll from the operator!
 
I have zero problem with TOLLS on 427, 404, 400, DVP, QEW, Gardner, However I dont think there should be a TOLL on the 401. Many people use it to just get across the city. For instance if you were driving from LONDON to Ottawa I dont think you should get screwed going through northern Toronto.
 
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